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LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


Purchased  by  the 
Mrs.  Robert  Lenox  Kennedy  Church   History  Fund. 


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Chestnut  Hill 


Baptist  Church 


Glimpses  of  Sixty-three  Years 


By  the  Pastor 
ROBERT  MELVILLE  HUNSICKER 

MDCCCXCVIII 


COMMERCIAIv   PUBI^ISHING   AND    PRINTING   CO. 

1 21 2  Cuthbert  St.,  Philadelphia 


OFFICERS : 


Pastor 
Robert  M,  Hunsicker 

Deacons 
Seth  Stout  W.  H.  H.  Heydrick 

Jacob  S.  Rahn  '  C.  Gilbert  Fisher 

Trustees 
W.  H.  H.  Heydrick      J.  S.  Rahn  Ai.ex.  A.  Larzelere 

Joseph  Rhoads  Chari.es  C.  Murray  Edward  Derr 

Justus  D.  Dickinson 

Clerk 
Miss  Harriet  A.  Heydrick 

Finance  Committee 
Joseph  Rhoads  W.  K.  Hunter  C.  Gii^rert  Fisher 

Financial  Secretary 

Miss  EmiIvY  D.  Heydrick 

Treasurer 

W.  H.  G0DSHAI.L 

Sunday-school  Superintendent 

Wm.  H.  Godshai.1. 

President  Baptist  Young  People's  Union 

Joseph  G.  Fisher 

President  Women's  Missionary  Circle 

Mrs.  Robert  M.  Hunsicker 

President  Willing  Workers'  Missionary  Society 

Miss  Emma  E.  Brown 

President  Ladies'  Aid  Society 

Mrs.  Robert  M.  Hunsicker 


"  firid  l^e  XYiat  reapetln  receivetl:)  v^aqes,  ar)d 
gatl)eretl:|  fruit  ilrito  life  eternal ;  tliat  botl:]  l[\e  tlc\at 
sov^ett)  arid  Y\e  tt^at  reapetl^  rqay  rejoice  togetl:|er, 
arid  l:)ereiri  is  tl:|at  saying  true,  one  so"Wetl:|  arjd 
ariot]:\er  reapetl:\. 

I  ser)t  you  to  reap  tl:\at  ^l:)ereon  ye  bestowed  no 
labor;  otl:|er  rqen  labored  and  ye  are  entered  into 
tl^eir  labors."— <Jol:)n  iv  :  36-38. 

"  SpeaK  tinto  tl:\e  Gl:\ildren  of  Israel  ti\at  tl^ey  go 
forward."— Exodus  xiv :  15. 


VI 


Prefatory  Note 


"  No  generation  appreciates  its  own  place  in  history." 
These  words  of  Dr.  Josiah  Strong  certainly  find  a  striking  il- 
lustration in  the  case  of  those  of  whose  history  a  few  glimpses 
are  given  in  the  pages  that  follow.  Because  we,  their  suc- 
cessors, appreciate  the  work  of  the  generation  or  more  that 
has  passed  away,  as  they  did  not,  themselves,  this  attempt 
has  been  made  to  put  their  history  into  permanent  form. 
This  has  been  done  for  the  inspiration  of  those  who  ' '  have 
entered  into  their  labors."  A  fuller  explanation  of  the  un- 
dertaking of  the  work  will  be  found  in  the  closing  pages. 
To  this  the  inquiring  reader  is  referred. 

When  this  project  was  inaugurated,  nothing  more  pre- 
tentious was  proposed  than  the  issue  of  a  plain  pamphlet. 
But,  with  the  progress  of  the  work,  the  accumulation  of 
material  of  so  much  general  interest  seemed  to  merit  and 
demand  that  it  be  preserved  in  more  permanent  form.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  decision  was  reached  to  issue  this  book,  with 
the  illustrations  contained.  It  has  been  a  gradual  devel- 
opment. 

This  has  been  a  "work  of  love."  None  the  less,  how- 
ever, has  the  writer  sought  to  do  his  work  with  thorough- 
ness and  accuracy.  If  inaccuracies  should  be  discovered,  a 
charitable  judgment  upon  them  is  asked.  Let  it  be  remem- 
bered  that  sources  of  information  have  at  best   been    but 

vii 


PREFATORY  NOTE 

meagre  ;  nor  have  records,  for  which  equal  authorit}^  might 

be  claimed,  always  been  found  to  be  in  agreement.     In  such 

cases  time  and   labor  have   not  been  spared  to  determine 

which  held  the  stronger  claim  for  strict  accuracy. 

It  has  not  been  the  purpose   to  present  an  exhaustive 

history.     Rather,  it  has  been  to  present  such  a  narrative  as 

would  preserve  for  ourselves,   and,   even   more,  for   those 

who  come  after,  a  record   of  the  general  trend  of  events. 

This  will  account  for  the  omission  of  many  things — to  say 

nothing  of  the  impossibility  of  obtaining  them.     There  will, 

however,  be  found  an  appendix,  a  mention  of  certain  items 

which   could   hardly   be   incorporated   in   the   body  of  the 

work.     Some  of  these  are  recorded  because  of  their  historic 

interest ;  others  because  of  their  quaintness  and  of  the  hints 

they  give  of  the  times  in  which  they  occurred . 

If  by  the  reading  of  this  imperfect  story  of  ' '  three  score 
years  and  three  "  any  shall  be  inspired  with  a  heightened 
appreciation  of  the  heritage  committed  to  us  by  those  who 
"  rest  from  their  labors,"  and  so  shall  be  quickened  to  a 
more  zealous  using  of  our  greater  opportunities,  the  writer 
will  feel  that  he  has  been  amply  rewarded  for  the  labor 
expended  upon  its  preparation.  And  now,  with  the  prayer 
that  the  blessing  of  God  may  attend  its  perusal,  and  that 
our  record  may  be  an  inspiration  to  those  who  shall  ' '  enter 
into  our  labors,"  this  tribute  to  an  honored  past  is  sent 
forth  upon  its  mission. 

Pastor's  Study,  January,  i8g8 . 

viii 


Glimpses  of  Sixty-three  Years 


Cbrce  Score  and  Cbrec  Vcars  Ago 

Three  score  and  three  years  ago  !  Viewed  through  this 
long  vista  of  years,  almost  incredible  to  us  seem  the  con- 
ditions of  every-day  life  then  prevailing.  Chestnut  Hill 
was  then  a  country  village,  in  the  midst  of  a  community  of 
plain  farmers.  We  find  many  things  quaint,  some  even 
romantic.  Many  of  the  most  commonplace  conveniences  of 
our  every-day  life,  and  such  as  seem  to  us  indispensable  to 
ordinary  comfort,  had  no  place  even  in  the  brain  of  the  wild- 
est dreamer.  For  example,  the  resident  of  the  Chestnut  Hill 
of  to-day  has  at  his  service  two  steam  roads  and  one  electric 
road.  These  afford  him  at  least  two  hundred  opportunities 
in  every  twenty-four  hours  for  access  to  the  heart  of  the  city . 
Were  he,  however,  to  wake  up  some  morning  to  find  himself 
in  the  midst  of  the  conditions  of  life  as  they  were  sixty - 
three  years  ago,  he  would  feel  that  he  had  been  suddenly 
transported  beyond  the  bounds  of  civilization.  True,  there 
was  in  operation  between  Germantown  and  Philadelphia  a 
steam  railroad,  with  three  trains  each  way  daily,  the  cars 
"drawn  by  the  first  locomotive  built  in  the  United  States."' 


lo  CHESTNUT  HILL 

But  this  was  only  "when  the  weather  was  fair,"  horses 
being  substituted  for  the  engine  * '  when  the  weather  was 
not  fair. '  '^  There  were  to  be  yet  almost  twenty  years  of 
waiting  before  Chestnut  Hill  could  boast  of  having  railroad 
communication  with  the  outer  world.  The  only  public 
conveyance  was,  of  course,  the  lumbering  stage  coach. 
There  was  one  line,  passing  through  the  place,  carr3dng 
passengers  between  Philadelphia  and  Bethlehem.  The  fare 
charged  to  the  city  was  '  *  three  levies  ' ' — thirty-seven  and  a 
half  cents . 

The  large  taverns  of  the  village  were  extensively  patron- 
ized by  drovers  and  teamsters,  hucksters  and  farmers. 
Large  droves  of  cattle,  horses,  sheep  and,  even,  turkeys  and 
geese  passed  through  the  place  on  their  way  to  market.  A 
very  common  sight  was  the  "Pitt  teams."  These  were 
immense  covered  wagons,  drawn  by  four  or  six  horses,  and 
carrying  freight  between  Philadelphia  and  Pittsburg,  as 
well  as  to  other  distant  points.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  the  great  railroads  were  still  a  thing  of  the  future. 
There  were  no  paved,  nor  any  other  sidewalks,  gas,  or 
electric  lights,  telegraphs,  or  telephones.  Almost  every 
family  kept  a  cow  or  two,  and  these,  after  the  morning 
milking,  were  turned  upon  the  road  to  hunt  their  pasture. 
The  tinkling  bell,  suspended  from  the  neck,  gave  the  clue 
to  their  w^hereabouts ,  as  necessity  might  require  their  being 


*  See  Appendix  A. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  ii 

sought  at  night,  in  the  neighboring  woods  or  along  the 
banks  of  the  shaded  Wissahickon.  Like  Ruth  of  old,  many 
of  the  women  shared  the  labors  of  the  men  in  the  harvest 
field.  With  sickle  in  hand,  they  reaped  the  ripened  grain, 
or  assisted  in  binding  it  into  sheaves.     The  length  of  the 

day's  work  was  from  "sun  to  sun." 

Perhaps  nothing  more  strikingly  suggests  the  vast 
changes  wrought  by  these  years  than  the  fact  that  about 
that  time,  thirty-three  acres  of  land  near  our  church  upon 
the  west,  and  extending  from  pike  to  pike,  with  good  build- 
ings, were  offered  for  sale  for  $3300.  It  is  difficult  to 
believe  that  such  changes  have  occurred,  but  there  are 
some  still  with  us  who  have  lived  through  them  all, 
bright  young  people  then,  but  now,  "three-score  years  and 
ten,  or  by  reason  of  strength,  four-score  years." 

Going  into  the  churches,  we  would  have  found  some 
things  very  odd.  If  not  still  seen,  it  was  not  long  since  men 
and  boys,  in  warm  weather,  attended  the  services  in  their 
"shirt  sleeves,"  and  young  women  walked  to  the  church  in 
their  bare  feet.  Those  of  the  ' '  better  class, ' '  in  some  cases, 
carried  their  shoes  till  near  the  church,  when  the}^  were  put 
on,  and  in  the  same  way  removed  and  carried  home,  thus 
making  them  last  the  longer.  We  w^ouldhave  found  no  or- 
gans in  the  churches,  and  hymn-books  were  a  rarity.  The 
minister  would  "line  the  hymns; ' '  that  is,  he  would  read  two 
lines,  when  some  brother  would  '  'raise  the  tune"  and  lead  in 
singing  them ;  then  two  more,  and  so  on  through  the  hymn. 


12  CHESTNUT  HILL 

This  sensed  a  double  purpose.     It  enabled  those  having  no 
books  to  sing,  as  well  as  those  who  could  not  read. 

This  glimpse  of  life,  as  it  was  lived  sixty-three  years 
ago,  will  set  in  clearer  light  the  beginnings  of  that  work,  the 
story  of  which  is  to  be  traced  in  the  pages  that  follow. 


e^ 


Deacon  Israel  Gilbert 
Elected  Sept.  6,  1834.     Died  March  4,  1853 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  13 


t.  J\  notable  event.  * 

Thursday,  August  15th,  1834,  may  safely  be  set  down 
as  one  of  the  most  notable  days  in  the  early  and  uneventful 
history  of  Chestnut  Hill.  The  day  was  clear  and  beautiful. 
In  the  afternoon,  between  the  hours  of  three  and  four  o'clock, 
great  crowds  gathered  upon  the  banks  of  the  Wissahickon 
at  a  point  little  above  the  bridge  at  the  foot  of  what  is  now 
called  Hartwell  Avenue.  By  one  who  was  present  we  are 
told  that  the  people  "came  from  far  and  near,  and  the  hills 
were  covered  with  people. ' '  They  had  assembled  to  witness 
the  baptism  of  eleven  persons,  rejoicing  in  a  new-found  hope 
in  Christ.  To  many,  as  these  happy  converts  were  buried, 
and  raised  again  in  the  likeness  of  the  burial  resurrection, 
of  Christ,  it  seemed  a  veritable  reproduction  of  the  scenes 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  when  the  throngs  came 
together  to  the  preaching  and  baptism  of  John  the  Baptist. 
The  woods  were  made  to  ring  with  the  glad  songs  of  salva- 
tion. The  ordinance  was  administered  by  Rev.  D.  A.  Nich- 
ols, pastor  of  the  Roxborough  Baptist  Church.  The  names 
of  those  baptized  were  :  Israel  Gilbert,  Mrs.  Jane  Gilbert, 
Jonathan  Gilbert,  Miss  Maria  A.  Gilbert  (now  Mrs.  Young), 
Ezra  Sands,  Sr.,  George  Bicknell,  Abner  Campbell,  Miss 
Mary  A.  Crosby,  Miss  Anna  L.  Crosby,  Miss  Maria  Sands 
(now  Mrs.  Harshaw),  and  Miss  Rachel  Bicknell.     Only  one 


14  CHESTNUT  HILL 

incident  is  recalled  that  in  any  way  marred  the  beauty  of 
the  occasion.  Some  "lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort"  had 
anchored  a  dead  dog  at  the  spot  selected  for  the  baptism. 
This  having  been  discovered  in  time,  the  candidates  were 
taken  to  a  spot  a  little  farther  up  the  stream,  thus  defeating 
the  evil  designs. 

Nine  days  later,  August  24th,  five  more  persons  were 
baptized,  viz.,  Titus  Shermer,  his  wife,  Eleanor  Shermer, 
Charles  Smith,  Eleanor  Sands  and  Sarah  Campbell. 

On  the  sixth  day  of  September,  these  sixteen,  together 
with  Mrs.  Sarah  Besson,  received  by  letter  from  the  Penny- 
pack  Church,  were  organized  into  "The  Baptist  Church  of 
Chestnut  Hill." 


^ 


BAPTIvST  CHURCH  .15 


«  Beginnings.  «^ 

The  old  church  book  says  :  '  'The  inhabitants  of  Chestnut 
Hill,  for  some  considerable  time  previous  to  1834,  had  been 
noted  for  their  wickedness."  Whether  more  wicked  than 
the  inhabitants  of  other  places  we  cannot  now  sa}^  But 
there  was  certainly  felt  by  Christian  people  of  various  de- 
nominations the  need  of  some  effort  in  the  direction  of  evan- 
gelization .  The  record  further  tells  us  that ' '  The  bread  of  life 
had  been  frequently  broken  to  them  by  the  servants  of  Christ 
of  different  denomination;- ,  but  to  all  appearances  to  little 
effect. ' '  Among  these  were  some  Baptist  ministers.  Finally, 
the  time  came  when  something  more  definite  was  to  be  ac- 
complished. Different  influences  combined  in  the  inaug- 
uration of  the  movement  that  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  the  church.  The  exact  measure  of  these  several  influ- 
ences cannot,  at  this  distant  day,  be  accurately  determined. 

On  what  is  now  Twenty-seventh  Street,  at  its  Junction 
with  Union  Avenue,  stood  a  chapel,  built  for  the  use  of  all 
evangelical  denominations,  and  finally,  within  the  recollec- 
tion of  many  still  residing  on  Chestnut  Hill,  removed  to 
make  way  for  the  street.  This  was  erected  in  the  year  1822 
largely  through  the  personal  influence  and  offerings  of  Mr. 
John  Magoffin,  a  Presbyterian.  The  ground  on  which  it 
stood  was  given  for  the  purpose  by  Mr.  Abraham  Heydrick, 


P6  CHESTlSrUT  HILL 

a  Schwenkfeldter,*  great-grandfather  of  persons  of  that 
name  at  present  members  of  the  Chestnut  Hill  Baptist 
Church.  It  was  built  by  John  and  Joseph  Miller.  Mrs. 
Maria  Ann  Young,  widow  of  the  first  pastor,  writes  as  fol- 
lows concerning  the  beginnings  :  '  'There  was  no  other 
place  of  worship  on  the  Hill  excepting  the  little  union 
chapel  on  Graver's  Lane  (Union  Avenue).  This  all  denom- 
inations had  the  right  to  use  by  turns.  Our  family,  though 
none  were  members  at  the  time,  kept  the  Baptist  right.  My 
mother,  of  the  old  Levering  stock,  had  the  pastor  of  the  Rox- 
borough  church  preach  in  the  chapel  Sunday  afternoons 
frequently.  Mr.  Young,  then  Pastor  at  Milestown,  now 
Oak  Lane,  exchanged  with  Mr.  Nichols,  of  Roxborough,  on 
one  of  the  days  for  the  chapel  service.  He  became  very 
much  interested,  and  proposed  holding  extra  meetings  and 
invited  Mr.  Nichols  to  help.  At  the  end  often  days  there 
were  eleven  ready  for  baptism." 

The  following  is  taken  from  Mr.  Young's  personal  jour- 
nal. While  apparently  not  strictly  harmonizing  with  what 
Mrs.  Young,  with  remarkable  clearness  of  memory  at  eighty- 
one,  has  written,  yet,  if  all  the  circumstances  were  known, 
it  w^ould  doubtless  be  found  to  be  in  strict  agreement:  "A 
member  of  Milestown  Church,  residing  near  Chestnut  Hill, 


*Yielding  to  the  persuasion  of  Mr.  Magoffin,  Mr.  Heydrick  at- 
tended the  services  connected  with  the  dedication.  The  driver  of 
the  family  horse,  "Yankee,"  for  this  occasion,  was  a  grandson,  a 
fifteen-year-old  boy.  On  the  first  of  January,  189S,  that  grandson, 
Mr.  Caleb  Heydrick,  died  at  Whitemarsh,  Pa.,  having  lived  to  the 
ripe  age  of  91  years  and  3  days.     See  Appendix  B. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  17 

was  anxious  for  me  to  come  and  preach  at  Mrs.  Besson's, 
where  she  lived.  I  sent  an  appointment,  making  it  at  Bes- 
son's; they  made  it  at  Union  Chapel.^'  Eight  weeks  later, 
at  the  request  of  Rev.  James  Patterson,  of  Germantown.  I 
preached  again.  At  this  time  we  appointed  a  protracted 
meeting  four  weeks  from  that  time.  Rev.  D.  A.  Nichols 
was  informed,  and  requested  to  assist."  Later  the  further 
record  is  made :  ' '  The  following  day  eleven  were  baptised . 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  church  in  this  place."  In 
another  record  Mr.  Young  says:  "While  pastor  at  Miles- 
town  I  commenced  preaching  at   Chestnut  Hill,  Pa.,  May, 

1834-" 

As  to  the  beginnings,   the  old  church  book  contains  an 

account  so  interesting  that  it  deserves  to  be  given  in  full. 
This,  it  will  be  observed,  does  not,  in  all  details,  agree  with 
the  accounts  given  b}^  Mrs.  Young  from  memory,  nor  with 
that  taken  from  Mr.  Young's  journal.  Neither  has  the  writer 
been  able  to  harmonize  them.  In  all  essentials  the  different 
accounts  agree,  and  none  of  them  can,  with  justice  to  either 
the  past,  or  the  present,  be  omitted.  The  record  says  :  "In 
the  month   of  May,    1834,   Brother  Robert   F.   Young  was 

*These  beginnings  were  not  without  some  touches  of  romance. 
There  is  a  tradition  preserved  concerning  Mr.  Young's  first  visit  to 
Chestnut  Hill  that  must  not  be  passed  by.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  Miss 
Maria  Ann  Gilbert  to  stay  at  home  on  this  occasion  and  prepare  the 
dinner,  while  the  rest  of  the  family  attended  the  services.  As  they 
returned  home  she,  in  peering  through  the  partly  closed  shutters  of 
the  house  still  standing,  No.  7934  Germantown  avenue,  to  get  a  sight 
of  the  "new  preacher, "  saw — her  future  husband,  whose  labors  she 
was  to  cheer  and  whose  joys  and  sorrows  she  was  to  share  for  half  a 
century. 


i8  CHESTNUT  HILL 

solicited  to  come  and  preach  in  this  place,  which  he  accord- 
ingly did.  After  this,  the  above-named  brethren  [Revs.  D. 
A.  Nichols  and  James  Patterson,  the  Baptist  brethren  who 
had  preached  here]  desired  him  to  occupy  the  days  the  Bap- 
tist denomination  were  entitled  to  the  Union  Chapel  of  this 
place.  He  complied  with  their  wishes.  The  second  time 
he  came  was  in  July  following,  at  which  time  he  appointed 
a  protracted  meeting,  to  commence  on  the  fifth  of  August, 
which  was  to  be  held  in  the  evenings.  He  informed  Brother 
D.  A.  Nichols  of  the  announcement  he  had  made,  and  re- 
quested him  to  assist.  At  the  itime  appointed  Brethren 
Young  and  Nichols  came  and  labored  several  evenings  and 
on  the  Sabbath.  *  *  *  On  the  15th  of  August  an  oppor- 
tunity was  given  to  any  who  wished  to  relate  the  dealings 
of  God  with  them,  at  which  time  eleven  came  forward  and 
related  their  experience  and  requested  baptism.  Several 
ministering  brethren  were  present  on  the  occasion,  viz.,  J. 
Patterson,  D.  A.  Nichols,  R.  F.  Young,  W.  S.  Hall,  L.  G. 
Beck  and  G.  Young,  besides  several  lay  brethren,  who,  be- 
ing satisfied  with  their  experience,  agreed  to  assemble  on 
the  Wissahickon  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day  and  attend  to 
the  ordinance  of  baptism,  which,  according  to  appointment, 
they  did,  when,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  peo- 
ple, the  eleven  were  baptized. 

"At  this  time  the  baptized  believers  requested  the  opinion 
of  the  brethren  present  on  the  expediency  of  establishing  a 
regular  Baptist  church  among  them.     The  ministering  and 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  19 

lay  brethren  assembled  in  council  capacity  and  called  Rev. 
James  Patterson  *  to  the  chair,  and  Rev.  R.  F.  Young  to 
act  as  secretary.  Whereupon,  Resolved  to  advise  the  breth- 
ren of  this  place  to  call  a  council  to  convene  here  on  the 
sixth  of  September,  1834,  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  The  advice 
given,  meeting  the  approval  of  the  baptized  brethren,  no- 
tice was  given  to  several  churches  and  requested  them  to 
appoint  a  delegation  to  meet  at  this  place  at  the  time  above 
stated  for  the  purpose  of  constituting  a  church. 

"In  about  two  weeks  after  the  first  baptism  five  more 
were  planted  in  the  likeness  of  the  Saviour's  death.  Truly 
our  hearts  were  made  to  rejoice  at  the  doings  of  the  Lord 
among  us. 

' '  The  time  arrived  that  was  appointed  for  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  church, when  a  large  and  respectable  council  con- 
vened at  this  place,  consisting  of  six  ordained  ministers  and 
a  large  delegation  from  the  following  churches:  Roxbor- 
ough,  Blockley,  Frankford,  Third  Church,  Philadelphia; 
Sanson!  Street,  Philadelphia;  New  Market  Street,  Philadel- 
phia; Great  Valley,  Lower  Dublin,   Milestown  and  Norris- 


*  While  the  Rev.  James  Patterson  was  never  pastor  of  this  church 
yet  his  active  interest  was  such  as  to  demand  for  him  at  least  a  brief, 
but  honorable  mention.  He  it  was  who  united  with  Rev.  D.  A. 
Nichols  in  soliciting  Mr.  Young  to  preach  at  Union  Chapel  on  the 
davs  assigned  for  the  use  of  the  Baptists.  At  that  time  a  member  of 
Sansom  Street  Church,  Philadelphia,  he  united  with  Chestnut  Hill 
Church,  Dec.  20,  1835  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  exerted  a 
a  considerable  influence.  He  resided  in  Germantown.  His  body 
reposes  in  an  unmarked  grave  in  the  cemetery  at  the  rear  of  the 
church. 


20  CHESTNUT  HILL 

town.     The  council  organized  by  calling  Rev.  Levi  Tucker 
to  the  chair  and  D.  A.  Nichols  to  act  as  secretary. 

' '  After  due  deliberation  on  the  expediency  of  an  imme- 
diate constitution  of  a  Baptist  church  here,  and  having  pre- 
pared some  articles  of  faith,  proceeded  to  constitution.  The 
order  of  exercises  was  as  foUlows  :  Prayer,  by  D.  A.  Nichols, 
of  Roxborough ;  sermon,  by  Rev.  L.  Tucker,  of  Blockley, 
from  Ps  I ,  *  *  *  vii . ,  3  [this  is  as  it  is  given  in  the  record , 
but  the  present  writer  is  unable  to  understand  what  is  meant] 
questions  proposed  to  Brother  R.  F.  Young,  of  Milestown ; 
ordaining  prayer,  by  brother  J.  Patterson,  of  Germantown ; 
charge,  by  Brother  W.  S.  Hall,  of  Frankford;  right  hand  oi 
fellowship,  by  Brother  R.  F.  Young,  Milestown;  address  to 
the  spectators ,  by  D.  A.  Nichols,  Roxborough,  The  church 
avowed  the  name  to  be  the  Baptist  Church  of  Chestnut  Hill. 
After  the  exercises  were  gone  through  with,  the  church  re- 
quested the  ministering  brethren  to  set  apart  Brethren  Israel 
Gilbert  and  Ezra  Sands  to  the  office  of  deacon,  which  was 
done.  Brother  Tucker  made  the  ordaining  prayer,  and  min- 
istering brethren  present  imposed  the  hands  of  presbytery. 
Brother  Hall  gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  and  Brother 
Tucker  gave  the  charge.  Closed  with  the  254  hymn  of  Rip- 
pon,  "Blest  be  the  tie,  etc. "  Such  was  the  harmony  of  the 
delegation,  our  hearts  were  made  glad,  and  such  was  the  joy 
of  the  brethren  to  see  a  church  constituted  here  that  their 
souls  were  melted  down  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord .  I  trust 
we  will  never  forget  the  day. 


DEACON  EZRA  SANDS 

Elected  Sept.  6,  1831.  Died  May  15,  1869. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  21 

"The  church  was  constituted  of  17 — 16  baptized  and  one 
by  letter.     At  this  time  Brother  J .  Gilbert  was  chosen  clerk. ' ' 

And  thus  it  came  about  that  on  the  sixth*  day  of  Sep- 
tember, 1834,  the  Chestnut  Hill  Baptist  Church  was  consti- 
tuted. But,  here,  two  important  facts  must  be  remembered. 
The  first  is,  that,  while  a  mission  of  neither  church,  yet,  it 
was  through  the  joint  labors  of  the  Milestown  and  Roxbor- 
ough  pastors,  Mr.  Young  seemingly  foremost,  that  this 
church  was  organized.  The  second  is,  that,  the  Milestown 
Church,  giving  up  their  pastor,  that  the  flock  just  gathered 
might  be  shepherded,  may  with  good  reason  regard  herself 
mother.  Certainly,  for  the  work  done,  and  for  the  pastor 
given,  who  more  than  a  score  of  years  exerted  the  molding 
influence,  this  church  is  under  a  lasting  debt  of  gratitude, 
and  will  honor  herself  b}^  cherishing  a  filial  love  for  that 
church  from  which  she  received  so  much. 

There  was  not  at  this  time  any  other  church  organiza- 
tion on  Chestnut  Hill.  The  Methodists,  while  having  "a 
class,"  did  not  organize  for  ten  years.  The  Presbyterian 
Church  was  not  organized  till  May  10,  1852,  the  first  Sab- 
bath preaching  having  been  May  25th  of  the  previous  year, 
(1851).  Other  churches  were  organized  still  later.  It  was 
twenty  j^ears  earlier  than  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Ger- 
mantown ;  four  years  earlier  than  the  organization  was  ef- 
fected at  Falls  of  Schuylkill,  in  which  Pastor  Young  had  an 

*  "  On  September  17th  (1834),  we  organized  the  chnrch."  This  is 
a  record  made  by  Mr.  Young  in  his  private  journal.  The  writer,  un- 
certain to  which  date  to  assign  the  organization,  consulted  Dr.  I. 
Gilbert  Young.  Upon  his  suggestion,  September  6tli  has  been 
adopted  in  the  narrative.  This  is  done  for  the  reason  that  it  is  this 
date  that  is  given  in  the  church  book.  The  same  record  is  found  in 
the  trustees'  book,  first  item.  These,  in  law,  would  be  regarded  as 
authoritative.  The  present  writer  can  not  presume  to  say  which  is 
correct. 


22  CHESTNUT  HILL 

active  part,  and  one  year  earlier  than  the  church  atHatbor- 
ough.  The  First  Norristown  was  organized  two  years  earlier. 
Cold  point,  a  colony  of  Chestnut  Hill  Church,  was  organ- 
ized twenty  years  later,  as  the  Plymouth  Baptist  Church. 
The  nearest  Baptist  church  was  at  Roxborough.  In  all 
Philadelphia,  city  and  county,  there  were  only  seventeen 
Baptist  churches.  Of  these,  twelve  were  connected  with  the 
Philadelphia  Association,  and  reported  an  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  2518.  The  largest  was  the  New  Market  Street 
(now  the  Fourth),  with  500  members. 

How  surprising  the  growth  witnessed  during  the  years 
that  have  intervened.  Not  only  has  Germantown  itself  as- 
sumed the  proportions  of  a  city,  but  it  has,  also,  even  be- 
come a  Baptist  metropolis,  having  six  Baptist  churches, 
three  white,  and  three  colored.  According  to  the  associa- 
tional  reports  of  1897,  five  of  these  (one  colored  church  not 
reporting)  with  a  membership,  severally,  ranging  from  two 
hundred  and  sixty-six,  to  five  hundred  and  eighty-eight, 
have  an  as^orreo^ate  of  twentv-two  hundred  and  sixteen  mem- 
bers.  Philadelphia,  as  a  whole,  according  to  the  same  re- 
port, has  eighty-three  Baptist  churches,  with  a  membership 
aggregating  31,417.  Seventeen  report  a  membership  be- 
tween five  hundred  and  a  thousand;  two,  between  a  thous- 
and and  eleven  hundred;  and  one,  alone,  a  membership  of 
2693.  The  total  contributions  of  these  eighty-three 
churches,  including  home  church  expenses,  amount  to 
$388,518.11.  The  total  number  of  churches  in  the  Phil- 
adelphia and  North  Philadelphia  Associations,  including  the 
churches  outside  the  city,  is  one  hundred  and  forty-nine, 
with  an  aggregate  membership  of  42,414;  baptisms  for  the 
year,  2604;  and  total  contributions,  including  home  church 
expenses,  $467,966.28. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  23 


*  Articles  of  faith.  * 

The  following  are  the  Articles  of  Faith  adopted  by  the 
church,  and  the  covenant  according  to  which  they  were 
banded  together. 

Article  First.  We  believe  that  there  is  but  one,  only, 
living  and  true  God. 

Article  Second.  We  believe  that  God  is  a  spirit,  infinite, 
eternal  and  unchangeable,  in  all  the  perfections  of  His  na- 
ture, and  that  in  the  Godhead  there  are  three  persons,  viz.: 
The  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  these 
three  are  one. 

Article  Third.  We  believe  that  the  Word  of  God,  con- 
tained in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  is  the  only  perfect 
rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

Article  Fourth.  We  believe  that  God  created  man  in 
His  own  moral  image,  consisting  of  knowledge,  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness  ;  but  that,  by  the  fall,  he  has  lost  this 
blessed  image  and  has  become  totally  depraved. 

Article  Fifth.  We  believe  that  all  beings,  actions  and 
events,  both  in  the  natural  and  moral  world,  are  under  God's 
providential  control  and  direction,  and  are  ordered  and  de- 
termined according  to  the  eternal  council  of  His  own  will ; 
but  that  this  does  in  no  wise  interfere  with  the  free  asfencv 
of  man. 


24  CHESTNUT  HILL 

Article  Sixth.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the 
agent  in  the  great  work  of  regeneration,  and  that  a  holy  life 
and  good  works  are  its  necessary  fruits. 

Article  Seventh.  We  believe  that  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  are  the  only  ground  of  the 
sinner's  pardon  and  justification  before  God. 

Article  Eighth.  We  believe  that  all  the  redeemed  of  the 
Lord  were  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  and  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto 
final  and  certain  salvation. 

Article  Ninth.  We  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  the  unjust,  and  that 
the  wicked,  the  finally  impenitent,  shall  come  forth  to  the 
resurrection  of  damnation,  but  the  saints  to  the  resurrection 
of  everlasting  life. 

Article  Tenth.  We  believe  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  are  ordinances  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  to  be  admin- 
istered to  believers  only. 

Article  Eleventh.  We  believe  that  an  immersion  of  the 
body  in  water,  by  a  properly  qualified  administrator,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  only 
Gospel  baptism. 

Article  Twelfth.  We  believe  it  is  the  duty  of  each  mem- 
ber of  the  church  to  attend  upon,  and  assist  public  worship, 
and  contribute  for  its  support. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  25 


We,  the  subscribers,  desirious  of  walking  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord  and  in  Christian  fellowship  with  one  another,  ac- 
knowledging our  utter  unworthiness  of  the  Divine  favor,  do 
voluntarily,  through  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  give 
up  ourselves  to  the  Lord  and  to  one  another,  by  the  will  of 
God,  in  a  church  capacity,  to  be  one  body  under  one  head, 
jointly  to  exist,  to  act  by  the  rules  of  the  Gospel.  And  do 
promise  and  engage  to  do  all  things  by  Divine  assistance  in 
our  different  capacities  that  the  Lord  has  commanded  and 
required  of  us.  Particularly  to  deny  ourselves,  take  up  our 
cross,  follow  Christ,  keep  the  faith,  assemble  ourselves  to- 
gether, love  the  brethren,  submit  one  to  another  in  the  Lord, 
bear  one  another's  burthens,  endeavor  to  keep  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  And,  finally,  to  honor  and 
maintain  those  who  have  the  rule  over  us  in  the  Lord. 

This  is  the  covenant  into  which  we  solemnly  enter,  in  the 
fear  of  God,  humbly  imploring  the  Divine  assistance  and 
blessing,  that  we  may  be  built  up  to  the  glory  of  God,  the 
advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  and  the  edification 
and  comfort  of  ourselves. 

And  now,  to  the  only  wise  God,  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost,  be  all  honor  and  glory  and  dominion,  forever  and 
ever.     AMEN. 


26  CHESTNUT  HILL 


«  C<iiiind  a  Pastor.  « 

This  little  band,  recognizing  their  opportunity  and  ac- 
cepting the  responsibility^  of  the  situation,  at  once  set  about 
equipping  themselves  for  aggressive  work.  No  time  must 
be  lost.  On  the  seventeenth  day  of  the  month  of  their  or- 
ganization subscriptions  were  begun  toward  the  erection  of 
a  suitable  house  of  worship.  The  original  subscription  book, 
with  all  its  details,  is  in  the  possession  of  I.  Gilbert  Young, 
M.  D.,  a  son  of  the  first  pastor,  a  resident  of  Chestnut  Hill. 
Alread}^  deacons  had  been  chosen  and  solemnly  set  apart  to 
their  work.  Nor  did  the  support  of  a  pastor  seem  too  much 
for  this  little  band  to  undertake.  It  was  perfectly  natural 
that  their  hearts  should  turn  to  the  one  who  had  so  success- 
fully led  in  the  launching  of  the  enterprise.  Accordingl^^ 
on  the  "thirty-first"  of  this  same  month,  a  unanimous  call 
was  extended  to  Rev.  Robert  F.  Young  to  become  pastor,  at  a 
salary  of  $150  a  year.  The  Philadelphia  Association  was, 
however,  to  be  asked  to  aid  in  his  support.  For  some  time 
the  pastor  pieced  out  his  salary  by  teaching  a  school.  He 
used  to  say  that  this  was  more  lucrative  than  preaching. 
Later,  he  abandoned  this,  as  it  interfered  with  his  studies, 
and  assumed  the  pastoral  care  of  the   Mt.  Pleasant  Church. 

When  the  call  was  given ,  it  was  evidently  proposed  that 
Pastor  Young  should  divide  his  labors  between  this,  and  the 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  27 

church  at  Milestown.  This  we  infer  from  a  record  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Milestown  church,  under  date  of  October 
9th,  1834,  as  follows:  "Brother  Young,  feeling  it  his  duty  to 
labor  part  of  his  time,  at  least,  for  the  Chestnut  Hill  Church, 
sent  us  information  of  the  same,  together  with  a  proposal  to 
labor  for  us  half  of  his  time.  Upon  motion,  it  was  'Re- 
solved, That  we  deem  it  highly  important  to  have  constant 
and  regular  preaching  in  this  place.  Therefore,  we  cannot 
accept  of  the  proposition  made  by  Brother  Young.'  "  This 
action  showed  a  truly  dauntless  spirit  on  the  part  of  the 
Milestown  Church.  It  was  but  a  year  since  their  own  organ- 
ization. A  new  house  had  just  been  dedicated,  and,  we  may 
imagine,  that  such  would  be  the  circumstances  that  they 
would  gladly  share  with  a  neighboring  church  the  support 
of  a  pastor,  a  plan  still  in  operation  in  many  rural  churches 
to-day.  Equally  dauntless  was  the  spirit  and  faith  of  the 
new  interest  at  Chestnut  Hill.  So  important  did  they  re- 
gard it  that  they  should  have  the  leadership  of  the  one  they 
had  called,  that  they  invited  him  to  give  them  his  entire  time. 
The  call  was  accepted,  and  about  the  same  time,  October, 
1834,  Mr.  Young  resigned  the  pastorate  at  Milestown,  and, 
December  27th,  moved  to  Chestnut  Hill.  A  letter  of  dis- 
missal was  granted  by  the  Milestown  Church  January  31st, 
which  was  received  by  the  Chestnut  Hill  Church  the  next 
month.  If  it  was  a  heroic  faith  for  this  band  of  seventeen  to 
extend  such  a  call,  it  was  almost  apostolic  faith  that  would 
accept  such  a  call.  But  God  was  guiding,  as  the  future  de- 
monstrated. And  it  is  ahvays  safe  to  follow  where  he 
leads.     It  is  such  a  faith  that  God  honors. 


CHESTNUT  HILt 


^  Pastor  R.  T.  Voung.  ^ 

h  is  most  fitting  that  at  this  point  should  be  given  a 
sketch  of  this  '  'man  of  God. ' '  And  there  are  reasons  that  it 
should  have  more  than  a  passing  notice.  Not  only  was  he 
the  founder  of  the  interest,  but,  twice  its  pastor,  his  official 
connection  covers  almost  one-third  of  the  entire  history  of 
the  church.  Reckoning  from  the  founding  of  the  church, 
Mr.  Young's  active  ministry  here  covered  about  nineteen 
and  a  half  years.  His  first  pastorate  closed  October  ist, 
1849.  After  an  absence  of  five  years  as  the  successful 
pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Salem,  N.  J.,  he  re- 
turned to  Chestnut  Hill,  October,  1854,  and  continued  till 
March,  1859.  Thus,  for  the  first  twent)^-five  years,  he  was 
the  most  conspicuous  factor,  not  only  baptizing  more  than 
half  of  all  that  received  baptism  in  the  church's  entire  his- 
tory, but  also  superintending  the  building  of  both  the  for- 
mer, and  the  present,  house  of  worship.  This  large  space 
given  to  Pastor  Young  will  not,  therefore,  be  understood  as 
in  any  way  disparaging  others  who  so  faithfully  served  in 
the  same  relation. 

Robert  Fletcher  Young  was  born  near  Coatesville, 
Chester  county.  Pa.,  September  4,  1810.  His  early  years 
were  spent  on  his  father's  farm.    His  conversion  occurred  in 


PASTOR  R,  F.  YOUNG 


I^APTIST  CHURCH  29 

boyhood.  When  only  seventeen  years  of  age,  feeling  that 
he  was  called  to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  began  a  course  of  pre ^ 
paratory  study  of  Latin  and  Greek  at  Moscow  Academy. 
Chester  county,  Pa.  Following  this,  two  years  were  spent 
at  Hamilton,  N.  Y.  The  father,  not  regarding-  favorably 
his  son's  aspirations  to  the  Gospel  ministr3^  did  not  give 
him  the  pecuniary  encouragement  that  might  reasonably 
have  been  expected.  Not  disheartened  by  the  difficulties 
that  beset  him,  he  made  the  journey  to  Hamilton  on  foot. 
Part  of  the  time,  at  least,  while  at  school,  he  boarded  him- 
self in  his  own  room,  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  cents  a  week. 
These  facts  have  been  gleaned  from  his  journal,  which 
further  records  that  the  fare  consisted  '  'chiefly  of  bread  made 
of  corn  and  rye,  not  bolted,  with  rice,  molasses  and  water." 
And  this  reflection  is  added;  *'The  food  truly  is  sweet, 
the  sacrifice  is  truly  small." 

In  the  fall  of  1833,  but  a  youth  of  twenty-three,  he  began 
his  labor  as  a  pastor  of  the  newly  organized  church  at  Miles^ 
town.  Two  years  prior  to  this  he  had  been  licensed  by  the 
Bethesda  Baptist  Church  of  Chester  countj^  to  exercise  his 
gifts  in  preaching.  February  19,  1834,  he  was  ordained  to 
the  Gospel  ministry v  The  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev» 
Dr.  W.  D.  Brantley,  Sr.,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Philadelphia,  from  the  text  in  II  Cor.  iv.  5.  Januar}'  8, 
1836,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  Ann  Gilbert,  a  daughter 
of  Deacon  Israel  Gilbert,  one  of  the  original  converts,  bap- 
tized August  15,  1834.     Concluding  his  work  at  Chestnut 


30  CHESTNUT  HILL 

Hill  March  i,  1859,  Mr.  Young,  at  the  request  of  the  "Bap- 
tist Committee  on  City  Missions,"  assumed  charge  of  a  new 
interest  in  the  Nineteenth  Ward,  which  the  following  May 
he  organized  as  the  Frankford  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  with 
twenty-six  constituent  members.  Here  he  continued  till 
December,  1861.  By  this  time  the  membership  had  grown 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five.  On  the  first  of  January, 
1862,  he  entered  upon  the  pastorate  of  the  Haddonfield  Bap- 
tist Church,  N.  J.,  where  he  continued,  with  remarkable 
success,  till  his  death,  which  occured  January  4,  1884.  His 
widow  survives  him.  She  lives  at  Haddonfield,  her  facul- 
ties unimpaired,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two.  During  this  pas- 
torate, the  church  property  was  greatly  improved,  a  debt 
liquidated,  an  elegant  parsonage  purchased,  five  successful 
mission  schools  established,  and  more  than  three  hundred 
converts  baptized.  In  the  entire  course  of  his  ministry, 
covering  a  little  less  than  fifty  years,  it  was  Mr.  Young's 
privilege  to  baptize  nine  hundred  and  forty-six  converts. 

Mr.  Young  was  a  man  of  deep  and  genuine  piety,  one 
who  truly  "walked  with  God."  Consecrated,  devout,  active, 
his  daily  walk  was  a  living  testimony  to  the  power  of  the 
Gospel  he  so  much  loved  to  preach.  His  journal  discloses 
the  fact  that  he  possessed  an  earnest  desire  to  engage  in  for- 
eign mission  work.  His  interest  was  stirred  b}^  association 
with  prospective  missionaries  in  the  same  school.  Among 
these  was  the  late  Dr.  Vinton,  who  a  part  of  the  time  was 
his  room-mate  and   fellow-boarder  at   "twenty-five  cents  a 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  31 

week."  Not  being  permitted  to  carry  the  news  of  salvation 
to  the  heathen,  he  gave  himself  with  unflagging  zeal  to  the 
salvation  of  the  lost  at  home.  Impelled  by  such  a  spirit,  he 
performed  much  labor  outside  his  regularly  appointed  pas- 
torates. This,  his  private  journal  abundantly  attests.  The 
record  of  baptisms  shows  that  he  administered  the  ordinance 
at  Mt.  Pleasant;  here,  however,  as  pastor,  in  connection 
with  his  w^ork  at  Chestnut  Hill;  at  Falls  of  Schuylkill, 
where  he  baptized  "the  first  in  that  place,"  in  183S,  the 
year  the  church  w^as  organized  in  that  place ;  at  Balligo- 
mingo,  in  1839,  the  year  from  which  dates  the  organization 
in  that  place,  and  where,  for  a  time,  he  preached  on  Sunday 
afternoons;  at  Vincent  and  Hephzibah,  Chester  county; 
Lower  Dublin  and  Blockley  and  Germantown.  It  is  not  to 
be  doubted  that  in  all  these  places  he  preached,  as  W'cU  as 
at  others  not  named  in  this  record.  The  result  of  his  faith- 
fulness in  such  work  eternit}^  alone  can  make  known.  In 
his  intercourse  wdth  others  he  w^as  genial,  wdth  a  pleasant 
•recognition  for  ever\^  one.  And  yet  there  was  a  dignified 
reserve,  which  to  some  seemed  to  border  close  upon  auster- 
ity. This  w^as  doubtless  due  to  a  deep  sense  of  the  grave 
responsibility  W'hich  rested  upon  him  as  a  serv^ant  of  the 
Most  High.  Diligent  in  his  studies,  thorough  in  the  prep- 
aration of  his  sermons,  in  his  labors  abundant,  faithful  alike 
to  God  and  to  man,  well  ma^^  we  thank  God  for  his  blessed 
life  and  fruitful  labors. 

"  Servant  of  God,  well  done  ; 

Rest  from  thy  loved  employ ; 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won, 

Enter  thy  Master's  joy." 


52  CHESTNUT  HILL 


<^  Che  first  Rouse  of  lUorsWp,  « 

But  the  new  church  must  have  a  home  of  its  own ;  for  a 
church  without  a  home  is  like  a  family  without  a  home^ 
more  or  less  of  a  vagrant.  The  Union  Chapel  could  not  be 
expected  to  be  permanently  available.  It  had,  indeed,  been 
a  very  Bethel  to  many,  where  God  had  met  them,  and  where 
they  had  learned  the  blessedness  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  adoption  as  children  of  God.  There  the  Holy  Spirit 
had  wrought  graciously,  revealing  to  many  their  deep  need, 
and  bringing  to  their  hearts  peace,  in  believing.  But  in  spite 
of  the  blessed  associations  of  the  place  and  its  gracious  in- 
fluences, there  were  occasional  ripples  that  disturbed  the 
peace.  Different  sextons  were  employed  by  the  diff"erent 
bodies  of  worshippers .  On  one  occassion  one  sexton  laid 
at  the  door  of  his  fellow  sexton  the  grievous  charge  of 
"stealing  his  ile."  On  every  account  it  was  better  that 
the  new  church  have  a  house  of  its  own. 

Accordingly,  and  in  harmony  with  the  early  opening  of 
subscriptions,  as  already  referred  to,  Pastor  Young  and  Dea- 
con Gilbert  started  out  one  morning  soon  after  to  find  a  suit- 
able lot.  "It  seemed,"  as  Mrs.  Young  writes,  "a  hopeless 
task."  But  they  returned  delighted,  reporting  that  "  they 
had  the  best  lot  on  the  hill."  And  so  it  was.  It  was  then 
used  as  a  marble  yard,  and  on  special  occasions  as  a  place 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  33 

to  pitcli  the  tent  of  the  traveling  circus.  Learning  that  the 
lot  was  for  sale,  they  found  the  owner,  and  closed  the  bar- 
gain on  the  spot.  And  well  it  was,  for  such  was  the  antag- 
onism to  the  little  BaptivSt  Church  that  efforts  would  have 
been  made  to  prevent  their  getting  it.  At  least,  there  were 
persons  ver}^  outspoken  in  their  opposition  to  the  Baptists 
building  '  'right  among  their  church  people. ' '  The  lot,  thus 
purchased,  was  presented  to  the  church.  On  September  29, 
1835,  the  deed  was  executed  by  '* Israel  Gilbert  and  Jane, 
his  wife,  to  Ezra  Sands,  Henry  S.  Lentz  and  Jonathan  Gil- 
bert, trustees  (and  their  successors  in  office)  ^  *  *  in  trust 
for  the  use  above  mentioned,  and  for  no  other  use  or  uses 
whatever  (subject  as  aforesaid),  to  the  only  proper  use  and 
behoof  of  them,  the  grantees  and  the  trustees,  their  succes- 
sors forever."     (Transcript  from  the  deed. ) 

January  28,  1835,  it  was  resolved  to  "build  a  meeting 
house  40  feet  wide  and  45  feet  long  ^  ^  *  on  the  ground  pur- 
chased by  Israel  Gilbert  and  offered  to  us  for  that  purpose.'' 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  Saturday,  May  23d,  of  the  same 
year.  The  sermon  on  this  occasion  was  preached  hy  Rev, 
H.  G.  Jones,  of  Roxborough ,  from  Exodus  xxxiii.  14. 

The  rear  and  side  walls  remain  as  part  of  the  present 
house,  with  twent}^  feet  in  length  added  at  the  front.  After 
some  3^ears  a  gallery  was  added.  The  pulpit  was  both  lefty 
and  large,  with  room  for  several  ministers,  and,  according 
to  ancient  cUvStom,  furnished  with  doors,  shutting  the 
preacher  in,  and  the    people    out.     The  dedication   service 


34  CHESTNUT  HILL 

occurred  August  27th.  The  dedicatory  sennon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  L.  Fletcher,  pastor  of  the  Great  Valley 
Church,  from  Heb.  x.  9.  The  Lord's  day  following  Pastor 
Young  preached  from  Zech.  xiii.  7.  The  letter  to  the  asso- 
ciation that  year  reported  that  "a  meeting  house  had  recentl 3^ 
been  built."  There  was  some  unpaid  debt,  but  how  much 
is  not  mentioned  for  some  years.  March,  1843,  it  was 
almost  $500,  and  about  the  same  in  Januar^^  1846.  But  this 
was  all  provided  for  before  Mr.  Young  left,  in  1849,  the  peo- 
ple of  the  place,  as  Mrs.  Young  relates,  cheerfuU}^  aiding. 

In  the  space  at  the  front  were  two  large  paper-mulberry 
trees,  casting  a  welcome  shade  in  summer,  and  standing  like 
sentinels  in  winter.  Still  farther  front  was  a  space  utilized 
for  hitching  the  horses  of  the  people,  who  came  from  far  and 
near. 

Many  interesting  things  might  be  recorded  in  connection 
with  this  house.  Excepting  the  Union  Chapel,  it  being  the 
only  house  of  worship  on  the  hill,  it  is  related  that  it  was 
not  unusual  to  have  noted  persons  of  other  denominations 
worshipping  with  the  Baptists  of  those  early  days.  Espe- 
cially among  these  is  mentioned  the  famous  Presbyterian, 
Rev.  Albert  Barnes,  D.  D,,  the  author  of  "Barnes'  Notes." 

Thus,  with  a  house  of  worship  they  could  call  their  own, 
the  new  interest  was,  within  a  3- ear  of  its  organization,  ready 
for  aggressive  work.  How  well  the3'  wrought,  the  stor3'  of 
the  years  that  followed  bears  witness. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  35 


*  H  fruitful  Uln«.  * 

Such,  truly,  this  church  has  been.  Four  times  onh'  has 
it  occurred  that  no  baptisms  were  reported  in  the  annual 
letter,  and  these  in  a  space  of  about  ten  years  in  the  later 
history. 

The  growth  in  numbers,  in  the  earlier  years  especially,  is 
truly  astonishing.  Reporting  only  nineteen  members  to 
the  Philadelphia  Association  in  1834,  in  six  years  they  had 
passed  the  one  hundred  mark,  reporting  in  1840  one  hun* 
dred  and  two.  In  four  years  more,  completing  the  first 
decade,  the  church  reports  a  membership  of  two  hundred 
and  five.  In  this  earlier  history  there  were  some  exceedingly 
fruitful  years.  The  number  of  baptisms  reported  October, 
1842,  was  forty- three.  The  next  year  exceeded  even  this, 
being  fifty-three.  But  1854  seems  to  have  been,  in  this  par- 
ticular, the  most  fruitful  year  in  the  church's  entire  history. 
That  year  the  unprecedented  ntimber  of  fifty-six  baptisms  is 
reported.  The  next  lower  than  tht  numbers  for  these  vari- 
ous years  jtist  noted,  was  thirty  six.     This  was  in  1856.^' 

Let  it  not  be  imagined,  however,  that  this  remarkable 
growth  was  dtieto  popular  favor  or  absence  of  all  opposition. 
For  such  was  not  the  case.     This  is  made  very  clear  by  a 


■"'  See  Appendix   D. 


J 


6  CHESTNUT  HILL 


single  statement  in  Mr.  Young's  journaL  which  contains 
this  record  of  the  work  :  "The  opposition  we  met  with  was 
very  great,  yet  the  work  went  on  and  the  prospect  was  en- 
couraging." There  are  similar  hints  given  at  other  points 
in  the  history. 

These  converts  were  drawn  from  varied  sources.  Not 
only  were  they  gathered  from  the  world,  but  there  were  ac- 
cessions to  the  ranks  from  among  the  Episcopalians,  the 
Methodists,  the  German  Reformed,  the  Lutherans,  the  Pres- 
byterians and,  even ,  the  Friends  and  Roman  Catholics.  There 
is  recorded,  also,  the  baptism  of  one  negro.  Nor  were  the 
candidates  limited  to  any  special  period  of  life.  Young  and 
old  alike  were  gathered  in.  A  most  striking  and  interesting 
instance  of  this  occurred  on  May  20,  1843,  when  Christopher 
Carr,  only  a  month  lacking  of  one  hundred  and  one  years, 
and  his  great-grandaughter,  Elizabeth  A.  Fisher,  aged  ten 
were  baptized .  The  former  had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
but  was  still  vigorous  and  hearty.  On  the  occasion  of  his 
baptism  he  walked  to  the  Wissahickon  and  back.  His  life 
thereafter  was  most  earnest  and  devout,  giving  clear  testi- 
mony to  the  Divine  power  of  the  Gospel  he  had  received. 
After  two  and  a  half  years  of  loving  and  earnest  discipleship, 
he  died,  December  18,  1845,  at  the  age  of  103  years  and  six 
months.  Several  of  his  descendants — both  great-  and  great- 
gre  it  grandchildren,  are  to-day  with  us  in  church  fellowship. 

From  among  the  converts  were  raised  up  several  ministers 
of  the  Gospel.     One  especially  may  be  mentioned  in  this 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  37 

connection — Rev.  Joseph  L.  Sagebeer.  He  was  baptized 
into  the  fellowcDhip  of  this  church,  and  some  5'ears  later 
united  with  the  Cold  Point  Church,  thence  entering  the 
ministry.  A  fuller  sketch  of  this  excellent  man  will  be 
given  under  that  heading. 

Nor  was  any  preference  shown  as  to  any  particular  season 
of  the  year  for  administering  the  ordinance.  Many  were 
baptized  during  the  warmer  months,  others  in  the  coldest 
weather,  the  clothing  of  the  candidates  often  freezing  stiff 
long  before  the  house  was  reached  where  it  was  to  be  ex- 
changed for  that  which  was  dry  ;  but  no  case  of  any  harm 
resulting  therefrom  has  been  recorded.  The  baptistry  in 
the  church  was  used  for  the  first  time  December  13,  1857. 
Previous  to  that  time  different  out-door  places  were  used — 
the  Wissahickon,  and  the  streams  at  Mermaid  and  the 
Wheel  Pump. 

In  connection  with  these  large  ingatherings,  it  must  not 
be  forgotten  that  for  many  years  this  was  purely  missionar}' 
ground,  there  being  no  other  organized  church  in  the  place. 
In  addition  to  this,  purely  as  a  Baptist  church,  it  covered  a 
much  greater  territory.  It  was  eighteen  years  before  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Germantown  was  organized,  and 
more  than  thirty  years  before  the  Second  Germantown  began 
its  work.  The  church  at  Cold.  Point  was  a  colony  from  this 
church,  so  that  the  separate  organizations  at  these  latter 
places  by  so  much  narrowed  the  territory  as  pertained  to 
strictly  Baptist  work  As  noted  elsewhere,  Pastor  Voung 
preached  and  baptized  at  Falls  of  Schuylkill,  Lower  Dublin, 
Plymouth  (now  Cold  Point),  Balligomingo,  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Milestown  and  Germantown. 


38  CHESTNUT  HILL 


*   the  Cold  Point  Baptist  Church.   « 

Reference  has  been  made  to  Pastor  Young's  fervent 
missionary  spirit  and  far-reaching  evangelistic  activities. 
While  in  several  places  he  Was  instrumental  in  organizing 
churches,  in  only  one  instance  was  such  organization  effected 
under  the  fostering  care  of  the  Chestnut  Hill  Church. 
After  about  eighteen  years  of  work,  the  Pljmiouth,  now 
Cold  Point  Church,  was  organized.  It  was  constituted  by 
fifty-three  members  who,  for  this  purpose,  received  letters 
of  dismission  from  the  mother  church .  The  designation  the 
church  now  bears  is  from  an  elevation  of  that  name  upon 
which  the  meeting-house  is  built.  It  is  about  four  miles 
north  of  Chestnut  Hill,  in  Whitemarsh  township,  Montgom- 
ery county,  overlooking  the  beautiful  Whitemarsh  Valley. 
As  Mr.  Young  was  the  one  who  instituted  the  work  which 
led  to  the  organization  of  the  church,  the  story  of  the  be- 
ginnings is  best  told  in  his  oWn  Words,  as  quoted  in  an  ex- 
cellent historical  sketch  of  the  church,  written  in  1885,  by 
Pastor  John  T.  Gi'iffiths,  and  printed  in  the  minutes  of  the 
North  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association  of  that  year.  Mr< 
Young  writes  as  follows  : 

"  1  commenced  preaching  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  connection 
with    Chestnut    Hill,  in   1835.     Abraham    Marple  and  his 


PASTOR  E.  R.TILTON 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  39 

wife  resided  in  Plymouth.  I  baptized  his  wife  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Church,  August  13,  1836  ;  they 
attended  Mt.  Pleasant.  After  a  time  I  commenced  preach- 
ing at  Cold  Point  School  House.  For  a  time  it  was  with 
some  dif&culty  we  could  keep  any  kind  of  order,  the  most 
of  those  who  attended  were  so  rough  in  their  ways  ;  but  with 
the  aid  of  Abraham  Marple  we  finally  secured  pretty  good 
behavior.  As  the  Gospel  began  to  be  felt,  souls  began  to 
inquire.  'What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?'  The  interest  increas- 
ing, several  were  baptized  at  Chestnut  Hill.  The  first  baptism 
in  Plymouth  was  in  a  dam  made  in  a  little  stream  not  far 
from  Abraham  Marple 's  house.  The  candidates  were  Har- 
riet Hampton,  Lydia  Hellens  and  Rebecca  Newtry,  baptized 
November  5,  1840.  Among  those  converted  and  baptized 
was  a  boy,  who  lived  on  a  farm — now  Rev.  J.  L.  Sagebeer, 
at  present  at  Mt.  Pleasant  and  Ambler.  He  is  an  excellent 
minister,  and  has  done  much  good.  After  a  time  I  bought 
the  lot ;  I  paid  $100  for  it,  taking  the  deed  in  my  own  name. 
After  building  the  first  meeting-hoUvSe  and  paying  for  it, 
except  $g  debt  on  it,  I  went  to  Salem,  New  Jerse}^  leaving 
about  fort}^  Baptists  in  Plymouth.  I  transferred  the  meet- 
ing-house lot  to  other  hands  by  my  deed.  After  I  left,  the 
church  was  organized." 

This  same  sketch,  quoting  from  the  "Baptist  Cyclope- 
dia," adds:  "Mr.  Young  began  preaching  on  Lord's-day 
afternoons,  and  occasionally  during  the  week,  in  the  school- 
house  at    Cold  Point,  in    Plymouth,   Montgomery  county. 


40  CHESTNUT  HILL 

By  subscriptions  which  he  obtained,  he  bought  a  lot  and 
built  the  first  house  of  worship  there,  baptizing  about  forty 
converts,  who  retained  their  membership  at  Chestnut  Hill 
until  the  Plymouth  Church  was  organized."  In  the  abstract 
of  letters  to  the  Philadelphia  Association,  1846,  it  is  recorded 
that  they  "have  nearly  completed  during  the  year,  at 
Plymouth,  one  of  their  out-stations,  a  new  meeting-house, 
where  preaching  is  regularly  maintained." 

Looking  toward  the  organization  of  a  church,  several 
meetings  were  held  to  consider  the  expediency  of  such  a 
step.  The  first  of  these  was  January  1 1 ,  1854.  At  this  time 
the  following  was  adopted  : 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  consider  it  expedient  that  a 
Baptist  church  be  organized  in  this  place,  and  a  pastor 
called  :  provided,  sufficient  means  can  be  raised  for  his 
support. 

RESOLVED,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed 
to  wait  on  the  people  and  see  what  they  will  subscribe 
towards  the  support  of  the  ministry." 

As  the  outcome  of  this  action,  April  5th  of  the  same  year, 
an  organization  was  effected  by  the  fifty-three  persons  dis- 
missed from  the  mother  church.  As  expressing  their  views 
of  doctrine  and  ordinances,  J.  Newton  Brown's  Church 
Manual  was  adopted.  One  deacon  was  elected  at  this  time, 
namely,  John  Getman.  On  the  nineteenth  of  this  same 
month,  a  council,  consisting  of  pastors  and  delegates  from 
neighboring  Baptist  churches,  was  called  by  invitation  of 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  41 

the  newly-organized  body,  to  consider  the  propriety  of  rec- 
ognizing them  as  a  regular  Baptist  church.  Six  churches 
responded  to  the  invitation.  They  were  the  Chestnut  Hill, 
Germantown,  Schuylkill  Falls,  Balligoniingo,  Norristown 
and  Bridgeport.  The  council  was  presided  over  by  the  Rev. 
J.  Newton  Brown,  then  of  Germantown.  By  formal  vote 
of  the  council,  after  due  consideration,  it  was  voted  to 
recognize  the  new  bod}^  as  the  Plymouth  Baptist  Church. 
The  services,  connected  with  formal  recognition,  were  held 
Thursday  evening,  April  27th.  The  same  year,  the  church 
was  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Central  Union  Asso- 
ciation, but  withdrew,  four  years  later,  to  unite  with  the 
North  Philadelphia  Association  when  that  body  was  organ- 
ized. 

The  church  has  had  two  houses  of  worship.  The  first, 
built  under  the  leadership  of  Pastor  Young,  was  used  till 
the  year  1868,  when  the  one  at  present  in  use  was  built.  Re- 
garding this  house,  Mr.  Griffiths'  historical  sketch  makc.^ 
the  following  statement:  "It  is  a  commodious  house  of 
worship,  built  of  stone.  It  contains,  in  addition  to  the 
audience  room,  a  room  for  the  primary  department,  and  two 
changing  rooms  for  baptismal  candidates,  and  is  40  feet  by 
60  feet  in  dimensions.  It  stands  a  short  distance  west  of 
the  old  church.  All  the  water  used  in  building  the  last 
meeting-house,  which  was  363  hogsheads,  was  hauled  by 
Deacon  Jonathan  Batroff ;  and  all  the  lime,  which  was  1500 
bushels,  was  furnished  by  Deacon  David  Marple.     In  con- 


42  CHESTNUT  HILL 

nection  with  these  two  houses,  the  church  owns  about  one" 
acre  of  ground."  In  1886  an  additional  acre  was  purchased 
to  enlarge  the  cemetery. 

From  the  church  two  have  gone  into  the  ministry.  The 
first  of  these  was  the  Rev.  Joseph  L.  Sagebeer,  alread}^  re- 
ferred to.  On  the  sixteenth  of  December,  1843,  a  boy  of 
sixteen,  he  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Chestnut 
Hill  Church.  Two  years  later,  and  nine  j^ears  prior  to  the 
organization  of  the  Cold  Point  Church,  he  was  dismissed  by 
letter  to  some  other  church.  Later,  uniting  with  this 
church,  from  its  fellowship  entered  upon  the  Gospel  ministry. 
From  the  report  on  obituaries  in  the  minutes  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Baptist  State  Mission  Society  for  1890,  we  quote 
the  following  : 

Rev.  Joseph  L.  Sagebeer  died  at  Clifton  Heights,  June 
5,  1890,  at  the  age  of  63.  Born  in  1827,  he  was  baptized  in 
1843  and  ordained  at  Balligomingo,  February  21,  1856. 
Here  he  remained  as  pastor  until  i860,  when  he  became 
the  first'  pastor  at  Allentown.  He  then  spent  eight  years 
at  Willistown  and  seven  more  at  Vincent,  Chester  count}-. 
He  next  served  the  church  at  Newtown  Square  seven  years, 
and  that  at  Mt.  Pleasant  three  years,  and  was  in  the  third 
year  of  his  pastorate  at  Coatesville  at  the  date  of  his  death. 
With  the  beginning  of  the  present  year  he  was  taken  with 
"La  Grippe,"  which  produced  extreme  nervous  prostration 
and  ended  in  heart  failure.  Brother  Sagebeer  was  a  good 
man,  full  of  the   Holy  Spirit  and  of  faith,  and  did  much 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  43 

earnest,  loving  service  for  the  Master  in  his  ministry  of 
thirty -four  years. 

The  other,  referred  to  as  having  entered  the  ministry, 
is  Rev.  William  J.  Coulston.  He  was  graduated  from  Buck- 
nell  University  in  1883,  and  from  Rochester  Theological 
Seminary  two  years  later.  He  has  been  pastor  of  several 
important  churches,  and  is,  at  present,  settled  with  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Elizabeth,  Pa.  One  of  the  present  members 
George  U.  Bayard,  is  pursuing  preparatory  studies  in  Buck- 
nell  University. 

Up  to  the  time  of  formal  organization,  the  church  was 

supplied   by    the   different   pastors    of  the    Chestnut    Hill 

Church.     Since  then,  as  settled  pastors,  it  has  had,  first, 

however,  as  supply.  Rev.  Thomas  C.  Trotter,  May,  1854,  to 

August,  1855  ;  then,  as  pastor,  till  June,  1859  ;  Rev.  William 

Coxey,  December,    1859,  to  January,  1862  ;   Rev.  Jesse  B. 

Williams,  from  July,  1862,  to  January,  1866  ;  and  a  second 

time,  from  June,  1869,  to  April,  1870;   Rev.  A.  H.  Folwell, 

from  October,  1866,  to  September,  1867  ;  Rev.  H.  H.  Leamy, 

from  April,  1870,  to  December,    1872  ;   Rev.  C.  B.  Dalbey, 

from  January,  1874,  to  July,  1874;  Rev.  R.  Kocher,  from 
October,  1874,  to  November,  1880;  Rev.  J.  C.  Jacob,  from 
May,  1882,  to  October,  1884  ;  Rev.  J.  T.  Griffiths,  from  May, 
1885,  to  May,  1887;  Rev.  George  E.  Weeks,  November, 
1887,  to  March,  1891  ;  Rev.  C.  B.  Furman,  from  June,  1891, 
to  December,  1894  ;  Rev.  D.  J.  R.  Strayer,  from  April,  1894, 
to  July,  1896;  and  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  E.  R.  Tilton, 
whose  term  of  service  dates  from  June,  1897. 


44  ■  CHESTNL'T  HILL 

The  condition  of  the  church  in  1885,  the  time  of  the 
preparation  of  Mr.  Griffiths'  sketch,  is  noted  in  the  following 
quotation  : 

"The  present  condition  of  the  church  is  very  encourag- 
ing, perfect  harmony  prevails,  two  weekly  meetings  are  well 
attended  ;  we  have  a  flourishing  Sunday-school  and  very 
good  congregations.  As  the  church  looks  to  the  past,  she 
can  truh^  sa^^  'Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us,'  and  as 
she  looks  to  the  future,  she  can  take  courage  and  press  on." 
Up  to  that  time  (September,  1885),  a  total  of  262  persons 
had  been  received  by  baptism,  57  by  letter,  and  the  member- 
ship numbered  157.  The  losses  had  been  83  by  letter  and 
36  by  death,  and  14  of  the  original  number  were  still  surviv- 
ing. There  had  been,  of  course,  losses  in  other  ways.  As 
to  these  the  present  writer  has  not  been  informed. 

The  Sunday  School  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1843, 
at  the  suggestion  of  Miss  Matilda  Stebbins.  The  organiza- 
tion was  effected  in  the  Cold  Point  Schoolhouse.  Meeting 
the  following  Sunday,  the  doors  were  found  shut  against 
them.  This  was  on  the  ground  of  an  objection  presented 
by  one  of  the  directors,  namel}^  that  some  of  the  teachers 
were  not  converted.  About  twent^^  in  all,  teachers  and 
scholars,  were  present.  Mrs.  Ann  Hallman  very  cordially 
threw  open  the  doors  of  her  house  to  the  school .  Two  weeks 
later,  through  the  influence  of  Pastor  Young  and  Mr.  Abra- 
ham Marple,  the  schoolhouse  was  reopened  for  them. 

As  to  the  present  condition,  it  may  be  said  that,  situated 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  45 

In  the  midst  of  a  prosperous  farming  comnmnily,  the  church 
exerts  a  large  influence  for  good.  Harmony  prevails. 
Large  congregations  attend  upon  the  preaching  of  the 
Word.  While,  during  the  present  pastorate,  no  extra 
meetings  have  been  held,  yet,  in  that  brief  time,  twenty 
two  additions  have  been  made  to  the  membership,  and  the 
pastor  reports  that  others  are  inquiring  the  way  of  life  The 
present  membership  is  130;  the  total  number  baptized  from 
the  first,  330.  The  prospect  is  regarded  as  encouraging. 
With  regard  to  the  past,  while  there  have  been,  in  common 
with  other  churches,  seasons  of  prosperity  and  periods  of 
dearth,  there  have  been  abundant  evidences  that  this  is  a 
vine  of  God's  planting,  and.  the  mother  church  has  good 
reason  to  congratulate  herself  upon  having  so  worthy  a 
daughter. 


^ 


46  CHESTNUT  HILL 


«  Che  millerite  Craze.  » 

In  the  "forties"  the  Chestnut  Hill  Church  was  threat- 
ened by  a  more  than  ordinary  peril.  The  doctrines  of  Wil- 
liam Miller,  which  had  gained  so  many  adherents  in  New 
York,  and  the  New  England  States,  were  carried  into 
Chestnut  Hill  by  an  enthusiastic  advocate.  Mr.  Miller,  by 
his  study  of  the  Scriptures,  had  reached  the  conclusion  that 
the  return  of  Christ,  for  which  we  are  commanded  to  look 
and  to  be  prepared,  was  to  occur  on  the  23d  of  April,  1843. 
It  is  recorded  of  the  followers  of  Mr.  Miller  that  "some 
neglected  their  business ;  they  had  property  enough  to  sup- 
port them  till  the  final  conflagration,  and  why  should  they 
accumulate  more?  Some,  who  were  poor,  quartered  them- 
selves upon  those  who  were  rich ;  some  gave  awaj^  their 
property  to  those  who  wished  to  use  it.  There  were  others, 
however,  who  were  more  considerate.  They  continued  to 
work  at  their  calling,  built  houses,  substantial  fences  and 
conducted  themselves  in  all  respects  as  they  would  if  the 
world  was  to  continue  many  years,  and  assigned  as  a  reason 
for  so  doing  that  the  command  of  Christ  was,  '  Occupy  till  I 
come.'"  "It  has  long  been  handed  down  as  a  tradition^ 
possibly  quite  unfounded,"  writes  another,  "that  many 
Millerites  made  themselves  ascension  robes,  and  during  all 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  47 

the  day  waited  in  prayer,  some  of  them  on  the  roofs  of  their 
houses,  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord."  And  thus,  a  doctrine, 
so  much  emphasized  in  the  New  Testament,  was  perverted, 
and  in  this  form  caused  not  a  little  trouble  for  the  young 
church  and  its  pastor.  How  successfully  it  was  combatted 
is  best  told  by  an  eye  witness,  the  widow  of  that  pastor. 

"The  Millerite  craze,'  she  writes,  "came  to  us  in  the 
forties  from  Norristown.  Mr.  Barnard,  pastor  there,  was  a 
New  York  man.  and  brought  the  doctrine  with  him.  A 
member  of  the  church  moving  to  the  Hill  set  it  going.  He 
wanted  the  church  for  Millerite  meetings  and  have  Mr. 
Barnard  come  and  preach.  Mr.  Young  would  have  none  of 
it,  and  the  trustees  backed  him  up  in  it.  He  (the  Millerite 
brother)  held  private  meetings  and  made  much  trouble  for 
the  young  pastor  and  the  church.  One  good  old  lady  said 
she  thought  that  if  the  Lord  wanted  any  one  to  know  when 
He  was  coming,  He  would  have  let  Brother  Young  know. 
But  it  passed  away."  Mrs.  Young  adds  that  the  usefulness 
of  those  who  were  taken  by  the  delusion  was  seriously 
affected. 


e^ 


48  CHESTNUT  HILL 


*  Che  Present  Bouse  of  morsWp.  « 

it  is  not  a  matter  for  surprise  that 'a  house  forty  feet  by 
forty-five,  built  when  the  membership  was  but  thirty-five, 
should  be  found  inadequate  to  the  demands  twenty  years 
later,  when  the  membership  considerably  exceeded  two 
hundred.  Thus,  we  find  that,  as  early  as  February  12, 
1852,  during  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Walton,  a  committee  was 
aj)pointed  "to  find  out  the  cost  of  a  building  for  an  addition 
to  t!ie  church."  Nothing  more  seems  to  have  been  done 
until  after  the  second  settlement  of  Mr.  Young  as  pastor,  in 
1854.  On  the  ist  of  January,  1855,  a  committee  was 
appointed  ' '  to  form  a  plan  and  find  out  the  cost  as  near  as 
they  can  for  remodeling  the  church."  Two  years  of  dis- 
cussion followed  before  anything  definite  was  determined 
up'^n.  Finally,  January  i,  1857,  it  was  "  resolved  that  the 
Building  Committee  proceed  with  the  building,  get  it  under 
roof,  finish  the  basement  story,  and  if  funds  go  no  further, 
wait  till  such  funds  may  be  obtained."  The  associational 
letter  that  same  year  reported  that  the  church  was  "engaged 
in  building  a  new  house  of  worship,  in  which  they  needed 
aid  from  Christian  brethren." 

Thus,  the  work  went  forward,  and  in  December  of  the 
same  year  "the  lecture  room  was  opened  with  appropriate 
services,  participated  in   by  Rev.   Warren  Randolph,   Ben- 


PRESENT  HOUSE  OF  WORSHIP  ( 1857  and  1872). 


From  Photograph  by  F.   P.   Streeper 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  49 

jamin  Griffith  and  Thomas  Winter."  The  main  audience 
room  was  used  only  on  baptismal  occasions.  September  2, 
1858,  the  trustees  voted  that  the  pastor,  Mr.  Young,  "  have 
$200  of  the  proceeds  of  the  ladies'  fair  toward  finishing  the 
main  audience  room,"  and,  on  November  2d,  it  was  "re- 
solved that  the  main  audience  of  our  house  of  ^vorship  be 
opened  on  the  fourth  Lord's  day  of  this  month."  On  this 
occasion  the  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev  William  Brant- 
ley, Jr.,  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church.  The 
prayer  of  many  was  that  "the  glory  of  this  iRtter  house 
might  be  greater  than  that  of  the  former." 

Some  debt  remained  upon  the  work  thus  completed,  but, 
how  much,  nowhere  in  the  records  of  the  church  is  distinctly 
stated  till  July,  1866,  when,  from  a  record  in  the  minutes 
we  learn  that  "in  the  erection  and  completion  of  our  house 
of  worship,  a  deficit  of  over  eight  hundred  dollars  was  then, 
and  up  to  this  time  remains,  uncancelled."  This  minute, 
however,  is  made  in  connection  with  a  successful  effort  on 
the  part  of  Pastor  Case  to  raise  the  money  by  which  the 
debt  was  paid  off.  The  letter  that  year  to  the  association 
reports  that  they  have  ' '  paid  off  the  debt." 


50  CHESTNUT  HILI. 


*  Che  Sunday  School.  « 

It  is  unfortunate  that  so  little  record  has  been  kept  of 
the  Bible  School — almost  absolutely  none  whatever  in  the 
church  records.  Some  very  meagre  references  to  it  are 
gleaned  from  the  association  minutes.  The  first  mention 
found  is  in  the  report  of  the  year  1839.  The  school  that 
year  reported  fifty-six  scholars.  It  is  not  likely  that  this 
is  the  beginning  of  the  school,  although  the  first  mention. 
The  highest  number  recorded  is  two  hundred  and  thirteen. 
This  was  in  the  year  1851.  Here,  the  faithful,  then  as  now, 
found  opportunity  for  Christian  work,  and  from  this  source, 
we  may  believe,  many  of  the  accessions  to  the  ranks  of  the 
church  were  drawn. 


e^ 


PASTOR  LEMUEL  WALTON 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  51 

^  Pastor  Cemuel  lUalton.  « 

Concerning  this  excellent  man,  we  must  be  content  to 
know  that  his  record  is  on  high.  As  the  result  of  most 
careful  inquiry,  it  has  been  possible  to  gather  but  a  few 
isolated  facts  of  his  life. 

He  was  licensed  by  the  Central  Church,  Philadelphia,  in 
1845,  and  was  graduated  from  Hamilton  about  1845.  To 
the  pastorate  of  the  Chestnut  Hill  Church,  his  only  one.  he 
was  called  by  unanimous  vote.  December  6,  1849,  and 
entered  upon  the  work  the  first  of  January,  1850,  coming 
from  the  Eleventh  Church,  Philadelphia.  His  ministry  was 
a  fruitful  one,  there  being  forty-seven  baptisms  recorded  for 
the  years  he  was  pastor.  On  the  fifth  of  May,  1853,  he 
rested  from  his  labors,  at  the  age  of  thirty-four.  He  died 
of  consumption.  His  body  lies  in  the  cemetery  at  the  rear 
of  the  church,  awaiting  his  descending  Lord,  when  he  shall 
come  forth  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air. 

A  doudle  burden  of  grief  was  laid  upon  the  church  in 
the  space  of  a  few  weeks.  Only  two  months  previous  to 
Mr.  Walton's  death,  March  4th,  Deacon  Israel  Gilbert  was 
called  away,  at  the  age  of  63  years,  7  months  and  20  days. 
Being  one  of  the  constituent  members,  one  of  the  first 
deacons,  and  the  generous  donor  of  the  lot  on  which  the 
meeting  house  had  been  built  as  well  as  that  used  for  burial 
purposes,  his  loss  would  naturally  be  the  more  deeply  felt. 
The  letter  to  the  association  this  same  year  refers  to  this 
double  bereavement  in  the  following  words:  "We  have 
been  called  upon  to  pass  through  deep  affliction  the  past 
year,  in  the  death  of  our  beloved  pastor,  Lemuel  Walton, 
and  of  Deacon  Israel  Gilbert." 


52  CHESTNUT  HILL 


« 


Pastor  (Uasbington  BarnDurst 


Mr.  Barnhurst  entered  upon  the  pastorate  of  the  church, 
evidently,  very  soon  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Walton.  It  is 
only  three  months  later  that  we  find  him  appointed  a  mem- 
ber of  a  committee  to  arrange  for  an  ordination,  which  can 
hardly  be  any  other  than  his  own.  His  term  of  service 
covers  only  about  a  year,  but  no  other  j^ear  in  the  entire 
history  of  the  church  records  so  many  baptisms,  namely, 
fifty-six.  We  are  thus  led  to  infer  that  he  was  a  worker  of 
great  efficiency.  And  yet  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  a 
highly  successful  pastorate  had  preceded  this,  a  pastorate 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  untimely  death  of  "  the  beloved 
pastor,"  as  he  is  called  in  the  letter  of  1853  to  the  associa- 
tion. Thus,  not  only  was  there  the  sowing  of  that  pastorate 
from  which  to  reap,  but  the  death  of  the  one  who  had 
wrought  so  well  could  not  but  have  a  quickening  effect 
upon  the  evangelistic  work  immediately  following.  After 
Mr.  Barnhurst's  withdrawal,  the  first  pastor,  the  Rev  R.  F. 
Young,  again  entered  upon  the  pastorate,  October,  1854. 


54  CHESTNUT  HILL 

successful  pastorate,  he  resigned  in  November,  1864.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  pastor  at  Mullica  Hill,  N.  J.,  and  later  at 
Columbus,  in  the  same  State,  where  he  built  a  house  of  wor- 
ship. From  Columbus  he  was  called  a  second  time  to  Rah- 
way.  He  then  came  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  instru- 
mental in  organizing  the  East  Baptist  Church.  While  here, 
he  w^as  taken  seriously  sick,  from  the  effects  of  which  he 
never  sufficiently  recovered  to  assume  again  the  care  of  a 
large  church .  Seeing  an  opportunity  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  city  for  eifective  work,  gathering  a  few  Baptists  together, 
he  began  holding  prayer  meetings,  and  organized  a  Sunday- 
school,  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Lehigh  Ave- 
nue Baptist  Church.  Still  later  he  was  pastor  of  the  Mana- 
tawna  Church  for  a  period  of  three  years,  October,  1884,  to 
September,  1887.  His  last  pastorate  was  at  P'ox  Chase,  in 
this  city.  Increasing  age  was  beginning  to  render  the  care 
of  a  church  burdensome.  Still,  his  desire  to  preach  was 
strong,  but  he  contented  himself  with  supplying  pulpits. 
The  last  sermon  he  preached  ^vas  at  Easton,  where  he  began 
his  ministry.  This  was  only  about  a  week  before  his  death, 
which  occurred  September  18,  1894,  ^t  the  ripe  age  of  eighty . ' ' 
While  the  five  and  a  half  years  of  Pastor  Tolan's  minis- 
try at  Chestnut  Hill  were  not  relatively  as  fruitful  in  bap- 
tisms as  the  former  pastorates  in  this  same  church,  two  things 
must  be  borne  in  mind.  The  first  is,  that  it  was  d  iring  the 
excitement  and  distraction  of  the  Civil  War,  when  it  was 
more  difficult  to  turn  the  thoughts  in  the  direction  of  the 


DEACON  SETH  STOUT 


E'.ectd  AMfTust  27.  1S67. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  55 

Gospl,  and  that  emotions  rather  averse  to  the  Gospel 
of  peace  were  likely  to  sway  the  minds  of  the 
people.  But  it  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  highest 
testimonials  to  the  faithfulness  and  evangelical  character  of 
that  ministry,  that  in  the  exciting  year  of  1862,  the  church 
letter  reported  twenty-four  baptisms.  The  total  during  this 
pastorate  was  forty-two.  The  other  fact  to  be  considered  is 
that  Chestnut  Hill  was  no  longer  missionary  ground. 
Other  churches  had  sprung  up  and  were  sharing  gospel 
work  on  the  Hill  with  this  church. 

The  work  of  this  servant  of  God  bears  abundant 
evidence  that  he  was  "a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be 
ashamed." 


^ 


s6  CHESTNUT  HILL 


*  n  Cransitloit.  * 

The  close  of  Mr.  Tolan's  pastorate  not  onh^  completes 
almost  one-half  of  the  entire  history  of  the  church  (thirty  of 
the  sixty-three  years),  but  marks  an  important  transition. 
All  the  pastors  who  have  served  hitherto  "rest  from  their 
labors."  The  one  immediately  following  is  still  in  active 
service.  It  is  to  be  noted,  also,  that  radical  changes  are 
taking  place.  From  a  community  of  country  villagers  and 
plain  farmers.  Chestnut  Hill  is  becoming  transformed  into 
a  fashionable  suburb.  This  necessarily  modifies  the  work 
of  the  church,  and,  to  a  considerable  extent,  explains  the 
falling  off  in  the  number  of  accessions  during  this  latter 
half  of  the  history.  Not  taking  into  account  these  changed 
conditions,  would  be  unfair  toward  the  men  who,  during 
these  latter  years,  have  served  so  faithfully  as  pastors  of  the 
Chestnut  Hill  Baptist  Church. 

The  story,  from  this  juncture,  will  be,  therefore,  more 
briefly  told.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  much  less  to  tell. 
This  is,  at  once,  evident.  Another  reason  for  brevity  is 
that  the  events  are  too  recent  to  have  taken  on  the  character 
of  history,  and,  hence,  must  be  left  for  future  historians  to 
recount  And  yet  those  who  read  this  story  will  demand, 
at  least,  brief  sketches  of  the  different  pastors.  And  this  is 
all  that  will  be  attempted,  with  the  addition,  in  each  case, 
of  such  things  in  these  respective  pastorates  as  may  claim 
special  note 


x^ 

*   r^!--- 

^ 

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^^^^^!^^^|^^^^HBk 

^^^^^BHjP™^^^^ 

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PP  ^"  ^^BS 

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p-  *-■"■?*  .•"  -  - 

PASTOR    W.    W.  CASE 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  57 


«  Pastor  li).  m.  Ca$e.  « 

Rev.  William  Wickham  Case  was  born  August  30,  1839, 
at  Perth  Amboy,  N.J.  His  father,  Rev.  John  Case,  was  an 
honored  Baptist  minister  who  served  churches  in  New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylvania,  and  died  at  Hawley,  Pa.,  July  14,  1886. 

Mr.  Case  was  graduated  from  Bucknell  University,  Lew- 
isburg,  Pa.,  July  30,  1863.  For  six  weeks  the  college  had 
been  closed  by  reason  of  the  large  number  of  students  and 
teachers  who  had  enlisted  in  the  United  States  service  for  the 
emergency.  The  graduating  class,  which  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  Twenty-eighth  Pennsylvania  Militia,  returned 
just  in  time  for  the  commencement  exercises.  Mr.  Case  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Berwick,  Pa.,  Baptist  Church, 
and  was  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  November  5th  of 
the  same  year.  In  1 864  he  became  chaplain  of  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Ninety 'fifth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  (one  hundred 
days'  regiment;  and  serv^ed  till  regularly  mustered  out.  April 
I,  1865,  he  entered  upon  the  pastorate  of  the  Chestnut  Hill 
Church,  where  he  remained  till  November,  1868,  when  ht 
withdrew  to  become  pastor  at  New  London ,  Connecticut .  Af- 
ter a  little  less  than  a  year  in  his  pastorate  he  returned  to 
Chestnut  Hill,  in  response  to  a  unanimous  call,  November, 
1 869 .  He  remained  till  September,  1 87 1 .  These  two  pastor- 
ates covered  altogether  a  little  less  than  five  and  a  half  years. 


58  CHESTNUT  HILL 

During  the  first  pastorate  at  this  place  he  was  mar- 
ried, September  6,  1866,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Kline,  of  Ber- 
wick, Pa.  Of  the  three  children — all  daughters — born  to  ^Ir. 
and  Mrs.  Case,  two  were  born  at  Chestnut  Hill. 

The  years  since  leaving  Chestnut  Hill  have  been  spent  in 
New  Jersey  pastorates.  The  first  was  at  Hamilton  Square, 
covering  a  period  often  years,  and  beginning  October,  1871 . 
As  indications  of  God's  blessing,  there  are  recorded  144  bap- 
tisms, the  building  of  a  house  of  worship,  and  the  founding  of 
a  new  church  at  Allentown.  December,  1881,  a  twelve-year 
pastorate  was  inaugurated  at  Holmdel.  One  hundred  and 
twenty-four  baptisms,  the  remodelling  of  the  house  of  worship, 
and  the  building  of  a  chapel  and  a  parsonage  are  the  substan- 
tial tokens  of  a  prosperous  pastorate.  Following  this,  was  a 
pastorate  of  a  little  over  three  years  with  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  West  Hoboken.  And  from  December,  1896, 
dates  the  present  pastorate  at  Rutherford. 

During  these  years  Mr.  Case's  work  has  not  been  con- 
fined to  the  limits  of  the  churches  over  which  he  has  presided. 
While  at  Chestnut  Hill  he  served  as  clerk  of  both  the  Phila- 
delphia Baptist  Association  and  the  Baptist  Ministers' 
Conference.  In  New  Jersey  he  has  not  only  held  asscciational 
offices,  but  has  been  for  twenty-one  3^ears  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  and  lirs 
been  for  many  3'ears  on  the  Board  of  Corporators  of  Peddie 
Institute.  While  thirty-four  years — more  than  a  third  of  a 
century — of  active  ministry  are  likely  to  show  their  wearing 


DEACON  J.  S.  RAHN 

Elected  June  13,  1872. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  59 

effect  upon  a  man,  3^et  it  would  seem  that  upon  Mr.  CavSe  the}' 
have  left  no  trace  of  vigor  reduced,  or  zeal  abated,  or  effi- 
ciency impaired. 

As  already  stated,  Mr.  Case  was  twice  pastor  at  Chest- 
nut Hill.  In  taking  note  of  items  of  interest,  however,  this 
will  be  regarded  as  one  pastorate,  there  having  been  no  set- 
tled pastor  during  the  interim .  It  was  no  slight  compliment 
that  he  should  be  recalled  for  a  second  term  of  service  by  a 
unanimous  vote.  Equally  was  the  church's  action  a 
compliment  to  itself. 

As  a  mark  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held ,  it  may 
be  noted  that  on  his  return  to  Chestnut  Hill,  on  the  occasion 
of  his  marriage,  he  found  that  his  house  had  been  largely  fur- 
nished during  his  absence.  It  was  his  privilege  to  baptize 
seventy-three  converts.  The  \^ears  '66  and  '67  were  marked 
by  gracious  revivals,  there  being  reported  for  these  years 
twenty-six  baptisms  each.  Two  members  were  licensed  to 
preach  the  Gospel — ^John  W.  Smith,  December  14,  1865, 
and  Charles  T.  Hallo  well,  December  16,  1867.  The  latter 
was  at  the  time  attending  Bucknell  University,  having  been 
recommended  to  the  Education  Society,  August  17,  1865. 
He  graduated  frem  college  in  1870.  He  was  engaged  in 
missionary  work,  and  lives  at  Park  Rapids,  Minnesota.  Of 
Mr.  Smith  the  present  writer  can  record  only  that  he  was 
dismissed  by  letter  to  Eleventh  Baptist  Church  the  yean 
following. 

From     the     building — or     rebuilding — of    the    present 


6o  CHESTNUT  HILL 

house  of  worship,  in  1857,  till  the  coming  of  Mr.  Case,  the 
church  had  been  greatly  harassed  by  a  debt  of  about  $800. 
Near  the  close  of  the  first  year  of  the  pastorate  (March  15, 
1866),  the  church  entertained  favorably  the  pastor's  proposi- 
tion to  undertake  the  payment  of  this  debt.  The  success  of 
the  effort  is  best  indicated  in  a  record  made  July  1 2th  of  the 
same  year,  setting  forth  the  gratitude  of  the  church  in  the 
raising  of  the  required  amount,  and  most  heartily  thanking 
the  "beloved  pastor"  for  his  earnest  and  efficient  efforts. 
Hitherto,  the  church  had  not  owned  a  parsonage,  but  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1870,  it  was  voted  to  purchase  the  property,  still 
owned  by  the  church,  on  Highland  avenue.  In  the  letter  of 
the  church  to  the  Philadelphia  Association,  1871,  the  year 
that  Mr.  Case  closed  his  labors  with  this  church,  a  total 
membership  of  184  was  reported. 

May  15,  1869,  during  the  interval  between  the  two  pas- 
torates of  Mr.  Case,  occurred  the  death  of  Deacon  Ezra 
Sands,  at  the  ripe  age  of  83  years,  2  months  and  8  days.  As 
one  of  the  constituent  members,  he  was  also  one  of  the  first 
deacons.  The  following  is  from  the  Church  Book  :  "He 
died  after  a  short,  but  painful  illness,  which  he  bore  with 
Christian  fortitude  and  resignation.  His  end  was  peaceful 
and  tranquil,  retaining  his  faculties  in  a  remarkable  manner 
so  long  as  he  was  able  to  converse,  and  died  in  the  triumphs 
of  faith,  a  full  assurance  of  a  blissful  immortality  beyond  the 
grave. 

"This  short  notice  is  recorded  as  a  tribute  of  respect  to 
an  aged  faithful  servant  of  God,  and  for  many  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Chestnut  Hill  Baptist  Church." 


PASTOR  L  D.  KING 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  6i 


«  Pastor  T.  D.  Kinfl.  * 

The  facts  for  the  following  sketch  have  been  kindly 
furnished  by  Miss  Clara  L>  King,  Pastor  King's  daughter. 

Israel  Davis  King  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  the 
3'ear  1824.  His  parents,  soon  after,  returned  to  Chester 
county.  Pa.  The  earlier  3^ears  of  his  life  were  spent  on  his 
father's  farm  in  the  Great  Valley.  His  parents  were  members 
of  the  Great  Valley  Baptist  Church.  At  the  age  of  sixteen ,  he 
entered  upon  mercantile  life  with  his  brother,  then  a  whole- 
sale dry  goods  merchant  on  Market  street,  Philadelphia. 
Being  converted  soon  after  coming  to  the  city,  he  was  bap- 
tized into  the  fellowship  of  the  Spruce  Street  Church ,  by  Rev . 
T.  O.  Lincoln.  In  the  year  1846,  Mr.  King  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  E.  Walter.  Of  the  five  children  born  to  them, 
only  two  daughters  lived  to  grow  up. 

From  his  earliest  years,  Mr.  King  had  desired  to  become 
a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He  was  not,  however,  ordained  to 
that  work  until  1854.  He  immediately  entered  upon  the 
pastorate  of  the  church  at  Smithfield,  Fayette  county,  Pa. 
Two  years  later  he  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Uniontown, 
where  his  labors  were  rewarded  with  rich  ingatherings,  x^f- 
ter  this,  he  was  pastor  at  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  then  at  Gran- 
ville, and  afterward  at  Monroeville,  in  the  same  State.     In 


62  CHESTNUT  HILL 

1869,  a  call  wasaccepted  from  the  church  at  Phoenixville,  Pa, 
Here  he  succeeded  in  bringing  into  harmony  and  active  or- 
ganized work,  two  very  discordant  and  contending  factions. 
It  was  from  Phoenixville  that  Mr.  King  came,  in  1872,  to 
Chestnut  Hill.  x\fter  three  years  of  earnest  service,  he  re- 
moved to  the  city,  and  the  following  year  established  a  mis- 
sion at  Twenty-third  and  Oxford  streets,  which  subsequently 
developed  into  ;he  Centennial  Baptist  Church.  The  pas- 
tor's hopes  fur  the  perpetuation  of  a  strong  active  church, 
after  several  years  of  toil  and  struggle,  and  the  building  of 
a  house  of  worship,  seemed  about  to  be  realized,  when  seri- 
ous dissensions  sprang  up,  which  almost  destroyed  the 
church.  The  anxiety  and  disappointment  thus  occasioned 
resulted  in  permanent  impairment  of  his  health.  A  pastor- 
ate of  about  three  years  at  Bristol  was  his  last.  Returning  to 
the  city,  the  closing  years  of  his  life  were  occupied  in  editor- 
ial work,  taking  charge  of  the  religious  news  in  the  "Phila- 
delphia Press"  His  death  occurred  May  16,  1893,  after 
nine  months  of  untold  suffering  from  valvular  disease  of  the 
heart .  H  is ,  was  a  life  of  loving  devotion  and  faithful  service . 
While  now  he  "rests  from  his  labors,  his  works  follow  him. ' ' 
Mr.  King's  pastorate,  lasting  about  three  and  a  half 
years,  was  in  some  particulars,  rather  an  eventful  one.  Just 
about  the  time  that  the  call  was  extended  to  him,  the  church 
voted  to  abolish  the  pew-renting  system,  which  had  been 
in  operation  for  many  years.  In  its  stead  was  adopted  the 
system  of  weekly  offerings,  '  'the  plan  enjoined, ' '  as  the  min- 


» 


DEACON  W.  H,  H.  HEYDRICK 

Elected  June  13,  1S72. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  63 

ntes  record,  "by  the  Apostle  Paul,  I  Cor.,  xvi.  2,"  and,  as 
it  further  adds,  "a  manner  easy  for  all,  and  oppressive  to 
none,  and  at  the  same  time,  promoting  habits  of  system  and 
economy."  The  transition,  therefore,  to  the  method  with 
some  modifications,  still  in  use,  was  made  during  this  pas- 
torate. The  organ  at  present  used  in  the  auditorium  was 
purchased  near  the  same  time.  In  June,  1874,  the  prayer 
meeting  was  changed  from  Friday  to  Wednesda}^  evening, 
though  the  change  had  been  for  some  3'^ears  under  con- 
sideration. 

When  the  present  house  of  worship  was  erected  it  was 
left  somewhat  incomplete,  in  contemplation  of  adding  a 
tower  to  serve  as  belfry,  and  awaiting  for  such  time  as  suf- 
ficient funds  might  be  available  for  defraying  the  expense 
thereof.  During  this  same  year  (1874)  the  work  was 
pushed  to  completion,  at  a  cost  of  over  $1500,  including  the 
purchase  of  the  bell  and  clock.  A  portion  of  the  money 
was  realized  from  the  sale  of  a  piece  of  ground,  about  fifty 
feet  in  depth,  from  the  rear  part  of  the  grave3^ard.  The  bal- 
ance— everything  being  paid  for  at  the  time — was,  through 
the  indefatigable  efforts  of  the  pastor,  secured  from  the  mem- 
bers and  friends  of  the  church  and  the  citizens  of  the  place. 

In  purely  spiritual  lines  the  work  was  pushed  with  vigor. 
Action  taken  b}-  the  church  during  the  pastorate  immedi- 
ately preceding,  was  renewed,  viz.:  Adopting  a  schedule  for 
taking  ofiferiiigs  at  specified  times  for  each,  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  Foreign  Missions,  Home  Mis- 
sions, State  Missions  and  Ministerial  Education.  Thirty- 
five  baptisms  are  recorded  for  this  period,  and  the  church  c.t 
the  close  of  this  pastorate  reported  a  membership  of  two 
hundred  and  ten,  a  number  that  has  not  been  reached  since. 


64  CHESTNUT  HILL 


*  Pastor  edwin  macminn,  « 

Rev.  Edwin  MacMiiin,  who  entered  upon  the  pastorate 
January  i,  1876,  was  born  at  Unionville,  Centre  county,  Pa., 
May  12,  1852.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools,  Dickinson  Seminary,  the  Commercial  College  of 
Williamsport,  Richmond  College,  Richmond,  Va.,  and 
Crozer  Theological,  from  which  latter  institution  he  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1874.  He  was  baptized  at  Wil- 
liamsport in  1868,  and  in  1870  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
the  Freemason  Street  Baptist  Church,  of  Norfolk,  Va.  His 
first  pastorate  was  at  West  Chester,  where  his  ordination 
occurred  in  1874.  The  following  year  he  resigned  the 
pastorate  to  take  up  evangelistic  work.  Accepting  a  call 
to  the  pastorate  at  Chestnut  Hill,  he  entered  upon  the  work 
January  i,  1876.  Closing  his  work  here  March  i,  1879,  he 
became  State  Secretary  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  which  position  he  resigned  to  enter  the  pastorate 
of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Easton,  Pa.  From  Easton,  he  re- 
moved to  Moorestown,  N.  J.,  January  i,  1883,  where  he 
served  in  the  pastorate  till  May  15,  1890.  While  there  he 
baptized  152.  May  15,  1890,  he  settled  wnth  the  Summit 
Avenue  Baptist  Church,  Jersey  City.  Here  it  was  his  privi- 
lege to  baptize  156.  During  the  season  of  1896  he  took 
charge  of  the  Fresh  Air  Work  of  Jersey  Cit^^  providing  for 


PASTOR  EDWIN  MacMINN 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  65 

a  week  at  the  seashore  for  256  children.  Since  March,  1897, 
he  has  been  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Salem,  N.J. 
Mr.  MacMinn  was  married  in  1875  to  Miss  Lizzie 
Rupert,  of  Oxford,  Pa.  Two  children  have  been  born  to 
them.  The  oldest,  a  daughter,  died  at  Chestnut  Hill.  The 
second,  a  son,  was  born  at  Moorestown. 

Mr.  MacMinn  has  been  author  as  well  as  pastor,  having 
written  a  number  of  Sunday  School  and  Temperance  books. 
He  has  also  written  upon  scientific  subjects,  being  quite  an 
enthusiast  in  natural  science.  His  cabinet  of  minerals  is 
said  to  be  one  of  the  finest  private  collections  in  the  United 
States. 

The  two  pastorates  that  immediately  preceded  Mr.  Mac- 
Minn's  had  been  characterized  by  so  much  in  the  way  of 
debt-paying,  purchase  and  improvement  of  property,  that 
not  much  in  this  line,  at  least,  is  to  be  looked  for.  Yet 
there  are  not  lacking  indications  that  the  pastorate  was  an 
aggressive  one  even  in  this  direction.  The  present  excellent 
plan  for  the  care  of  the  Sunday  School  library,  and  the  sub- 
stitution of  chairs  for  the  old-fashioned  kind  of  seating  in 
the  lecture-room,  were  some  of  the  improvements  made,  the 
benefit  of  which  we  still  enjoy.  Large  congregations  at- 
tended upon  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  and  sixteen  bap- 
tisms are  recorded  as  a  part  of  the  spiritual  fruitage. 


66  CHESTNUT  HILL 


*  Pastor  B-  J.  RoW),  * 

We  are  indebted  to  Mrs.  Robb  for  the  following  sketch 
of  her  husband  : 

"  Benjamin  Franklin  Robb  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
December  ii,  1842.  When  a  boy  he  learned  the  trade  of 
machinist.  May  5,  1861,  just  after  the  outbreak  of  the  civil 
war,  though  still  under  age,  he  enlisted  in  the  service  of  his 
country ,  with  the  Twenty-sixth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers. He  was  severely  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville,  and  was  honorably  discharged  December  21,  1863. 

After  his  return  from  the  war,  having  a  strong  convic- 
tion that  he  was  called  to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  entered  Buck- 
nell  University,  where  he  completed  a  four  years'  course  in 
three  years,  and  was  graduated  in  1871.  Entering  Crozer 
Theological  Seminary,  he  took  the  full  course,  and  was  grad- 
uated with  the  class  of  1874.  While  a  student  at  Bucknell, 
he  preached  during  summer  vacations  at  Coudersport,  Pa. 

After  his  graduation  from  Crozer,  Mr.  Robb  spent  a 
year  abroad,  visiting  the  Holy  Lands.  During  these  travels 
he  successfully  conducted  a  party  up  the  Nile. 

July  8,  1875,  after  his  return,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Eliza  C.  Smith.  Two  children,  a  son  and  daughter,  both 
still  living,  were  born  to  them.  October  20,  following,  Mr. 
Robb  entered  upon  the  pastorate  of  the  Baptist  Church,  at 


PASTOR  B.  F.  ROBB 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  67 

Stockton,  N.  J.  Thence  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  at 
Chestnut  Hill,  April  15,  1879,  though  the  work  was  not 
taken  up  till  the  month  following.  Continuing  till  Febru- 
ary, 1889,  he  was  constrained  by  failing  health  to  close  his 
ministry.  In  the  hope  that  a  quieter  life  would  prove 
beneficial,  he  accepted  a  position  as  Pension  Examiner,  at 
Corning,  N.  Y. 

He  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Baptist  Education  Society.  He  was 
also  prominently  identified  with  the  Grand  Army,  being 
chaplain  of  Ellis  Post,  No.  6,  G.  A.  R.  He  was  a  strong 
Prohibition  advocate,  and  took  a  lively  interest  in  matters 
relating  to  the  License  Court. 

Mr.  Robb  died  at  Corning,  N.  Y.,  October  5,  1889. 
His  body  was  brought  to  Chestnut  Hill  for  burial,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Ivy  Hill  Cemetery." 

With  the  exception  of  the  first,  Mr.  Robb's  was  the 
longest  pastorate  in  the  histor}^  of  the  church,  covering,  as 
it  did,  very  nearly  ten  years.  His  work  was  the  quiet,  un- 
pretentious, devoted  kind,  that  won,  and  held  the  affection 
of  the  people.  Nor  were  his  friends,  by  any  means,  limited 
to  the  membership  of  the  church  over  which  he  so  faithful- 
ly presided.  To  this  day,  many  in  the  community  speak  of 
Pastor  Robb  in  the  kindest  and  most  respectful  terms. 

The  daily  and  constantly  recurring  duties  that  claimed 
his  attention  were  faithfully  performed.  And  this  it  is  that 
counts  in  the  long  run.     He  showed  his  interest  in  the  spread 


68  CHESTNUT  HILL 

of  the  Gospel  by  having  the  cause  of  City  Missions  added  to 
the  list  of  objects  for  which  a  schedule  had  been  adopted 
some  years  previous,  making  six  regular  collections  yearly, 
for  as  many  benevolent  objects.  A  heavy  debt,  part  of  which, 
at  least,  was  upon  the  parsonage  property,  was  seriously  bur- 
dening the  church .  Soon  after  his  entrance  upon  the  pastor- 
ate, the  payment  of  this  debt  was  agitated.  On  the  sixth  of 
April,  1 886,  the  pastor  laid  before  the  church  a  proposition 
from  Mr.  William  Bucknell.  offering  to  pay  $1000  on  condi- 
tion that  the  church  would  raise  the  balance.  The  offer  was 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Robb  went  heroically  to  work.  As  the 
result,  the  church  was  able  to  fulfill  the  condition  of  Mr. 
Biicknell's  proffer,  and  thus,  happily,  free  itself  from  the 
bondage  of  debt,  ^he  following  year  the  parsonage  lot  was 
enlarged  by  the  purchase  of  fifteen  feet  on  the  northeast  side. 
Twenty-four  members,  according  to  the  records,  were 
received  by  baptism  during  this  pastorate.  If  any  one  asks 
whether  Pastor  Robb  was  "a  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ," 
we  point  to  the  still  unabated  love  of  those  he  served.  No 
better  testimonial  need  be  sought. 


*  Pastors  e.  D-  Bammona  and  0*  O'B,  Strayer,  « 

For  nearly  a  year  following  the  close  of  Mr.  Robb's  work 
the  church  was  without  a  settled  pastor.  Early  in  1890  the 
work  was  taken  up  by  Mr.  Hammond,  and  relinquished  in  a 
few  months.  He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Strayer  for  a  brief 
time,  when  a  vacancy  again  occurred. 


PASTOR  C.  R.  BLACKALL 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  69 


*  Pastor  C  R.  B?acKall,  D.  D.  • 

On  the  twenty-first  of  September,  1891,  the  Pulpit  Com- 
mittee was  instructed,  by  vote  of  the  church,  to  procure  the 
services  of  Dr.  Blackall,  as  stated  supply.  He  had  been  oc- 
cupying the  pulpit  for  several  Sundays,  and  the  term  of  his 
official  relation  was,  therefore,  dated  back  to  September  6th. 
He  was,  at  the  time,  and  is  still,  connected  with  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  as  Editor  of  Periodicals.  He 
presented  his  resignation  just  three  years  later,  September, 
1 894 ,  to  take  effect  immediately ,  but  was  prevailed  upon  to  con  - 
tinue  till  the  close  of  the  year,  when  his  successor  took  up 
the  work.  His  letter  dismissing  him  from  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Philadelphia  was  received  May  i,  1892.  After 
the  settlement  of  the  present  pastor,  he  continued  in  active 
co-operation,  servdng  also,  as  chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  till  October  9th,  when,  having  removed  from  the 
place,  he  resigned  his  position  as  trustee.  December  ist, 
following  a  letter  of  dismission  was  granted  to  unite  with 
the  Church  of  the  Evangel,  at  Narberth,  Pa. 

While  Dr.  Blackall  would  not  permit  himself  to  be 
called  '  'pastor, ' '  and  even  by  the  form  of  the  call  was  express- 
ly excused  from  doing  pastoral  visiting,  yet  in  every  particu- 
lar he  was  a  pastor,  not  even  excepting  the  visiting.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  title  "pastor"  is  employed  in  the  heading. 


;o  CHESTNUT  HILL 

His  work  was  in  all  particulars  aggressive,  and  his  con- 
stant aim  toward  a  symmetrical  developement  of  the  church. 
For  various  reasons,  the  church,  at  his  coming,  was  disheart- 
ened, but  he  inspired  them  with  courage  for  large  undertak- 
ings. A  floating  debt  was  seriously  cumbering  the  work, 
and  this  was  paid  off".  Strict  business  methods  were  fol- 
lowed in  all  the  proceedings.  As  to  improvements  in  the 
property,  both  inside  and  outside  bear  substantial  testimony. 
The  walls  of  the  lecture-room  were  painted,  the  ceiling  was 
papered,  the  floor  laid  with  linoleum,  and  new  heaters  were 
purchased.  The  auditorium  went  thraugh  a  thorough  trans- 
formation. The  walls  and  ceiling  were  tastefully  frescoed  ,^ 
a  new  flooring  was  laid,  and  the  present  seating  introduced. 
The  improvements  in  the  lower  room  were  made  in  1892, 
those  in  the  upper  room  in  1893.  The  work  was  entered 
upon  with  the  determination  not  to  go  into  debt.  This 
purpose  was  rigidly  adhered  to.  In  consequence  thereof, 
when  the  work  was  completed,  there  was  no  debt,  although 
improvements  costing  $2800  had  been  made. 

The  completion  of  the  latter  was  celebrated  by  a  week 
of  special  services  at  the  opening  of  the  New  Year,  1894. 
The  order  of  services  for  the  week  announces  for  Sunday, 
January  7th,  Drs.  H.  L.  Wayland  and  W.  H.Conard;  for 
Monday  evening,  the  pastors  of  the  place.  Revs.  W.  W. 
Harmond,  D  D.,  and  W.  H.  Merrill,  (Presbyterian)  and 
Rev.  C.  H.  Rorer,  (Methodist  Episcopal)  as  speakers  ;  for 
Tuesday  evening,  Rev.   Lemuel  Moss,  D.  D.  ;  Wednesday 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  71 

evening,  the  annual  business  meeting ;  Thursday,  Rev. 
J.  T.  Beckle3^  D.  D.  ;  Friday  evening,  Mr.  Charles  H.  Har- 
rison and  Mrs.  J.  N.  Cushing ;  Sunday  morning.  Rev. 
Henry  G.  Weston,  D.  D.,  and  for  the  evening,  Dr.  Blackall. 

Not  only  in  these  particulars  are  we  of  to-day  indebted 
to  the  agressive  leadership  of  Dr.  Blackall.  The  abundant 
supply  of  Baptist  Hymnals  in  the  upper  room,  as  well  as  the 
Select  Gems  that  are  in  use  in  the  prayer  meeting,  were  pro- 
cured during  this  same  period.  Besides,  over  two  hundred 
books  were  added  to  the  Sunday  School  library,  toward 
which  Dr.  Blackall  made  a  very  generous  contribution. 

But  material  improvements  were  not  permitted  to  en- 
gross all  the  energies  of  the  people.  Spiritual  development 
was  persistently  sought.  The  various  missionary  and  ben- 
evolent enterprises  were  not  forgotten .  Interest  in  the  work 
of  Christ  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  local  church  was  shown 
by  offerings  made  for  that  purpose. 

The  church  during  these  years  showed  a  healthy  growth, 
as  is  evident  by  twenty-three  additions,  fifteen  of  them  be- 
ing by  baptism.  The  writer  can  testify  that  the  work  was 
passed  over  into  his  hands  in  good  condition  ;  and  it  is  no 
cause  for  surprise  that  at  the  close  of  Dr.  Blackall's  pastor- 
ate, the  church  should,  by  a  hearty  vote,  give  expression  to 
their  grateful  appreciation  of  his  work,  as  well  as  to  their 
devout  acknowledgement  of  the  supervision  of  the  Great 
Head  of  the  Church,  in  giving  them  such  leadership. 

By  a  bequest  of  Dr.   Edward  Jacoby,   for  many  years  a 


72  CHESTNUT  HILL 

member  of  this  body,  a  generous  provision  was  made  for  the 
church,  to  go  into  effect  upon  the  death  of  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Jacoby,  also  a  devoted  member  of  this  church,  who  died  dur- 
ing the  last  year  of  Dr.  Blackall's  pastorate.  According  to 
the  terms  of  the  will  the  church  is  to  receive  an  annuity  of 
$200.00,  for  a  term  of  ten  years,  (the  first  payment  being 
made  in  1895),  and,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  is  to  re- 
ceive the  sum  of  $6000.00. 


^ 


PASTOR  R.  M.  HUNSICKER 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  7^ 


«  tfte  Present  Pastorate,  * 

This  has  not  yet  become  history,  and  so.  can  hardly 
claim  a  place  in  this  recital.  Yet,  as  a  matter  of  record, 
a  few  items  call  for  mention.  The  present  pastor  began  his 
work  with  the  church  January  6,  1895,  coming  from  Brook- 
ville,  Pa.,  in  response  to  a  unanimous  call  given  the  ninth 
of  the  previous  month.  Two  events  of  special  interest  will 
be  noted. 

The  first  of  these  is  important  as  explaining  the  prepara- 
of  this  historical  sketch.  It  was  voted  by  the  church  to 
have  a  reunion  of  the  membership,  with  a  roll  call  and 
social,  February  22,  1897.  Believing  that  it  would  be  a 
good  thing,  especially  for  the  younger  portion  of  the  mem- 
bership, to  have  a  brief  review  of  at  least  the  earlier  history 
of  the  church,  the  pastor  gave  the  sermon,  of  the  Sunday 
morning  immediately  preceding,  a  historical  turn.  But  in 
preparing  for  this  occasion,  he  was  much  surprised  to  dis- 
cover that  the  records  were  exceedingly  meagre.  Indeed, 
the  book  covering  the  first  twenty  years  could  not  be  found 
at  all.  There  was,  however,  in  the  second  book,  the  first 
record  in  which  was  made  October  12,  1854,  a  list  of  the 
baptisms  from  the  first,  copied  from  book  number  one. 
Even  this  was  incomplete,  owing  to  the  loss  of  one  leaf 


74  CHESTNUT  HiLt 

with  the  rece:)rd  of  over  four  3^ears'  baptisms.  Besides  this,- 
as  a  source  of  information,  Dr.  I.Gilbert  Young,  son  of  the 
first  pastor,  and  living  in  the  place,  had  in  his  possession  a 
transcript  of  his  father's  records,  which  he  kindly  put  at 
the  service  of  the  writer.  Then,  too,  three  of  the  constitu- 
ent members  were  and  are  still  living,  and,  with  remarkable 
clearness  of  memory,  were  able  to  recall  much  that  was  of 
interest.  They  are  Mrs.  Maria  Ann  Young,  widow  of  the 
first  pastor  ;  Mrs.  Maria  Harshaw  and  Mrs  Eleanor  Shermer. 
The  pastor,  feeling  that  the  history  was  too  valuable,  and 
of  too  much  interest,  to  be  thus  lost,  and  realizing  that,  if 
ever  it  was  to  be  put  into  permanent  form  so  as  to  be  pre- 
served, it  must  be  done  at  once,  made  a  proposition  to  the 
church  that  he  would  undertake  the  task  of  writing  up  the 
history  of  these  sixty-three  years.  So  much  interest  had 
been  evoked  by  the  presentation  in  the  sermon,  as  above 
referred  to,  that  the  church  heartily  voted  approval.  It 
seemed  almost  a  presumptuous  undertaking,  considering 
the  scantiness  of  available  materials,  especially  taking  into 
account  for  the  fact  thait  by  the  disastrous  fire  of  February  2, 
1896  files  of  associational  letters  in  the  Publication  Society's 
building,  at  1420  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  had  been  de- 
stroyed. In  this  connection  a  mention  of  the  valuable  ser- 
vices of  Rev.  Leroy  Stephens,  D.  D.,  must  not  be  omitted. 
Possibly  nothing  more  than  a  manuscript  copy  might  have 
been  prepared,  but  being  present  at  the  evening  service  on 
the  day  ot  the  roll  call,  Dr.  Stephens  urged  the  people  to  have 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  75 

the  history  of  their  church  printed .  Then,  and  there,  it  was 
so  decided,  and  substantial  pledges  were  made  toward 
to'vard  defraying  the  expenses  of  tlie  same. 

And  so  the  work  has  been  undertaken  and  pressed  to- 
ward completion.  It  might  be  added  here,  however,  that  af- 
ter some  months  the  lost  book,  and,  also,  the  missing  leaf 
from  book  number  two,  came  to  Jight.  By  this  time,  the 
.writer,  having  followed  carefully  every  clue,  by  correspon- 
dence, by  consultation  of  files  of  associational  minutes,  and 
b3^  personal  interviews,  had  pretty  thoroughly  covered  the 
period  of  these  earlier  years.  And  yet,  the  book  proved  cf 
great  service  in  two  ways.  First,  it  enabled  the  writer  to 
verify  his  work  ,  and  second,  in  some  particulars,  to  am- 
plify it.  And,  in  this  place  he  wishes  to  make  grateful 
acknowledgment  to  all  who  have  rendered  him  such- 
indispensable  help,  not  only  those  named  above,  but  others, 
and  especially  Rev.  J.  G.  Walker,  D.  D.,  for  so  many  years, 
and  still,  the  efficient  clerk  of  the  Philadelphia  Baptist 
Association.  This  will,  we  believe,  sufficiently  explain  how 
this  work  came  to  be  done.  And,  as  to  whether  it  has  been 
worth  the  doing,  and  how  well  it  has  been  done,  must  be 
judged  by  those  who  may  do  it  the  honor  of  giving  it  a  reading. 

The  second  event,  hinted  at  above,  was  the  sixty-third  an- 
niversary of  the  founding-  of  the  church .  This  was  suggested 
by  the  interest  that  had  been  awakened  in  connection  with 
the  writing  of  this  sketch.  It  was  celebrated  Sunday  and  Mon- 
day,  Setember  5ch  and  6th ,  i  ^97 .    The  pastor  preached  at  the 


76  CHESTNUT  HILL 

morning  service  from  Ps.  ii6,  12.  Dr.  Blackall,  being  pres- 
ent by  special  invitation,  addressed  the  boys  and  girls,  and 
preached  at  the  evening  service.  On  Monday  evening,  most 
interesting  and  stirring  addresses  were  delivered  by  I.  Gilbert 
Young,  M.  D.,  Rev.  E.  R.  Tilton,  pastor  of  the  Cold  Point 
Baptist  Church,  Rev.  Edwin  MacMinn,  pastor  First  Baptist 
Church,  Salem,  N.  J.,  and  Rev.  George  E.  Rees,  D.  D., 
pastor  of  the  New  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church  of  West  Phil- 
adelphia. Also,  a  poem  written  for  the  occasion  by  Miss 
Harriet  x\.  Heydrick,  was  read.  These  anniversary  exer- 
cises were  an  occasion  of  much  inspiration  and  profit  to  the 
church. 

The  church  at  the  end  of  three  score  and  three  years  is 
in  a  prosperous  condition.  In  the  last  Associational  letter 
-a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  was  reported — 
the  highest  number  reported  for  seventeen  years.  During 
the  present  pastorate,  thirty-four  (including  the  pastor  and 
his  wife)  have  united  with  the  church,  eighteen  of  whom 
were  received  by  baptism.  These  sixty-three  years  abound 
with  evidences  of  the  Divine  leading,  and  watchcare  and 
keeping.  Who  but  that  is  reminded  of  the  words  of 
Jehovah  in  Isaiah  xxvii.  3,  "I,  Jehovah,  do  keep  it;  I  will 
water  in  every  moment.  Lest  any  hurt  it,  I  will  keep  it 
night  and  day." 


DEACON  C.  GILBERT  FISHER 


Elected  January  9,  1895. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  77 


«  Retrospect  and  Prospect*  « 

What  shall  this  review  of  three-score  and  three  years 
yield  for  us  ?  This  is  a  question  that  may  well  concern  us. 
No  one  in  reading  the  meagre  records  of  these  years  could 
be  blind  to  the  fact  that  those  whose  history  has  thus  been  pre- 
served were  but  human.  It  requires  no  special  gift  of  keen- 
sigh  tedness  to  discern  mistakes  and  shortcomings.  But  it 
must  not  be  imagined  that  the  record  thus  left  is  peculiar  in 
this  respect.  With  changes  of  names  and  a  few  details,  it 
would  be  an  equally  faithful  portraiture  of  the  doings  of 
many  another  church  of  the  same  times.  But  shall  we  leave 
a  better  record  for  the  perusal  of  the  generations  that  shall 
come  after  us  ?  What  shall  be  our  heritage  to  others  ?  Of 
this  we  are  well  assured,  that  those  into  whose  "labors  we 
have  entered,"  earnestly  endeavored  to  be  faithful.  And  the 
only  design  of  this  review  of  the  past,  has  been,  to  recall 
such  things  as  should  awaken  gratitude,  and  to  stimulate  to 
better  service.  And  that  one  is  blind,  indeed,  who  does  not 
find  much  to  stir  the  heart's  gratitude. 

To  a  very  large  measure  is  it  true  of  us  of  to-day,  that 
we  have  been  sent  to  reap  that  whereon  we  have  bestowed 
no  labor,  and  that  others,  having  labored,  we  have  entered 
into  their  labors.  Shall  we,  then,  make  such  use  of  our 
heritage,  so  go  forward  as  reapers,  that  it  shall  come  to  pass 


78  CHESTNUT  HILL 

that  they  who  have  sown,  and  we  who  reap,  shall,  in  the 
great  home-gathering,  rejoice  together?  More  has  been 
given  ns  than  was  given  to  those  who  have  preceded  us. 
Not  only  have  we  the  heritage  that  they  have  committed  to 
us,  but  our  opportunities  are  greater  than  theirs.  And  the 
Great  Teacher  admonishes  us  that  "unto  whomsoever  much 
is  given ,  of  him  much  shall  be  required . ' '  Shall  we  measure 
up  to  our  opportunit}^  and  our  responsibility  ? 

We  stand  at  a  point  where  the  past  and  the  present  meet. 
What,  in  such  situation,  is  presented  to  us  by  way  of  en- 
couragement ?  Is  there  anything  more  than  a  heritage  of 
frasfrant  memories  ?  It  is  well  sometimes  to  count  our 
blessings.  We  have  a  good  church  property,  well  located, 
and  entirel}'  free  from  cumbering  debt.  We  have  a  com- 
modious house  of  worship,  pleasant,  cheer}^  and  in  excel- 
lent condition.  And  all  this  comes  to  us  largely  as  a  gift 
from  those  who  have  entered  into  rest.  We  have  a  mem- 
bership loyal  to  the  interests  of  the  church,  and  a  scheme  of 
finance  that  yields  gratifying  results.  We  have  a  Bible 
School,  under  the  care  of  a  faithful  corps  of  teachers  and 
officers,  and  an  interesting  organization  of  young  people. 
Our  missionary  organizations  are  active  and  in  a  thriving 
condition,  and  our  offerings,  for  the  various  branches  of  our 
Lord's  work,  show  a  growing  interest  in  that  work  for 
which  He,  "though  rich,  became  poor."  We  enjoy  the 
respect  of  the  community,  and  are  favored  with  good 
and    attentive    congregations.      We     have    our    Master's 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  79 

command  to  "go  forward,"  coupled  with  the  gracious  prom- 
ise, "Lo,  I  am  with  you  all  the  days."  (R.V.,  margin.)  What, 
therefore,  is  there  to  hinder  an  obedient  going  forward  in  the 
fulfilment  of 'the  gracious  purposes  of  the  Gospel?  Let  him 
who  falters  give  the  answer.  To  falter,  would  be  treason 
not  only  to  God  and  an  honored  past,  but  the  rising  genera- 
tion, and  those  yet  unborn,  would  rightly  cast  upon  us  the 
reproach  of  unfaithfulness. 

Thuswehavf  the  past,  with  its  memories;  the  present, 
with  its  duties,  and  the  future,  with  its  anticipations —  one 
for  wnsdom.  one  for  action  and  one  for  hope  Let  us  there- 
fore faitlifuUy  serve  our  own,  and  thus,  future  generations, 
and  there  will  awvat  us  glad  welcome  of  those  who  have 
gone  before,  the  grateful  eulogies  of  those  yet  unborn,  and 
the  blessed  "well  done"  of  an  approving  God.  Shall  this 
generation  ''appreciate  its  own  place  in  history  .^" 


"  flrid  \\e  \\\a\.  reapetl:|  receivetl:!  ^ages,  and 
gatt\eret]:|  fruit  unto  life  eterqal ;  tl^at  bott\  \\q  \Y\pX 
sowetti  arid  tje  tlqat  reapetti  rr\ay  rejoice  togetl:|er, 
and  ]:]ereiri  is  \\\a\  saying  true,  one  so^etl:\  and 
ariotlner  reapetl:}. 

I  sent  you  to  reap  tlr^at  \^^]^ereon  ye  bestoiA^ed  no 
labor;  otlr^er  rnen  labored  and  ye  are  entered  into 
tJr^eir  labors." 

'•  SpeaK  Unto  tir^e  cl^ildren  of  Israel  tl\at  tl|ey  go 
forward," 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  81 


APPENDIX 


A 

As  suggestive  of  the  striking  contrast  between  the  con- 
ditions of  life  sixty-three  years  ago  and  those  in  the  midst 
of  which  we  to-day  are  living,  and  as  a  hint  of  the  marvel- 
ous progress  that  these  passing  years  have  witnessed,  tl  e 
following  is  quoted  from  The  A^nericaji  Daily  Adverthcr, 
of  Saturday,  November  24th,  1832  : 

PHILADEIvPHIA,   GERMANTOWN    AND  NORRISTOWN  RAIL- 
ROAD. 

Locomotive  Engine. 
Notice. — The  Locomotive  Engine   (built  by  M.  W.  Baldwin,  of 
this  city)  will  depart  daii,y,  when  the  weather  is  fair,  with  a  train 
OF  PASSENGER  CARS,  commencing  on  Monday,  the  i6th  inst.,  at  the 
following  hours,  viz  : — 

FROM   PHII,ADEI.PHIA.  FROM   GERMANTOWN. 

At  II  o'clock,  A.  M.  At  12  o'clock,  M. 

"     I         "        P.  M.  "      2         "        P.  M. 

"     3         "        P.  M.  "      4         "       P.  M. 

The  cars  drawn  by  horses  will  also  depart  as  usual  from  Phila^ 
delphia  at  9  o'clock  A,  M.,  and  from  Germantown  at  10  o'clock  A.  M., 
and  at  the  above  mentioned  hours  when  the  weather  is  not  fair. 

The  points  of  starting  are  from  the  depot,  at  the  corner  of  Green 
and  Ninth  streets,  Philadelphia,  and  from  the  Main  street,  near  the 
centre  of  Germantown.     Whole  cars  may  be  taken.     Tickets  25  cent^\ 

It  is  said  that  the  president  of  the  road  was  in  the  habit 
of  accompanying  the  train  to  guard  against  accidents. 


82  CHESTNUT  HILL 

B 

As  an  item  of  local  history  of  no  little  interest,  the 
following  citation  is  given  from  the  deed,  donating  the 
ground  on  which  Union  Chapel  was  built  : 

"A  certain  lot  or  piece  of  land  situated  on  Chestnut  Hill  in 
Gennantown  Township,  for  the  use  and  purpose  of  building  thereon  a 
house  for  Christian  worship,  and  such  other  purposes  as  the  said  John 
IMa^'oflfin  and  the  said  trustees  shall  consent  to,  and  shall  not  be  detri- 
mental to  the  other  lot  of  land  of  which  the  hereby  granted  premises 
are  a  part,  excluding  absolutely  a  common  day  or  night  school,  and  a 
Sunday  school,  unless  with  the  proper  consent  and  approbation  of  the 
owner  of  the  said  other  lot  of  land  of  which  this  is  a  part,  and  on  the 
decease  of  the  said  John  Magofhn,  or  previously  thereto,  if  he  may 
think  proper,  the  said  lot  hereby  granted  with^such  buildings  as  may 
be  built  ihereon,  shall  be  under  said  restrictions — for 

The  uses  of  the  neighborhood  of  Chestnut  Hill,  to  be  held  by 
trustees  possessed  of  such  qualifications  and  to  be  appointed  in  such 
manner  as  the  said  John  Magoffin  may  direct ;  and  in  failure  of  such 
direction  by  him  made,  and  on  record  in  the  Recorder's  office,  it  shall 
be  held  for  such  uses,  and  under  said  restrictions  by  trustees  to  be 
chosen  by  the  Schwenkfieldian  Congress  of  Towamencin,  Montgomery 
County  ;  by  the  Episcopalian,  English  Presbyterian,  German  Re- 
formed, Presbyterian,  Lutheran  and  Methodist  now  existing  congre- 
gations in  Germantown  township  ;  and  by  the  Baptist  congregation 
now  existing  nearest  to  said  premises,  each  of  which  congregations 
shall  appoint  one  trustee  annually,  a;id  those  actualh-  appointed  for  a 
year,  commencing  always  on  January  ist,  shall  be  the  trustees  for 
that  year  ;  four  of  whom  shall  always  be  a  quorum  ;  and  it  shall  not 
be  lawful  for  any  trustee  to  refuse  the  use  for  worship  of  the  said 
building,  to  anv  minister  or  teacher  of  any  or  either  of  said  denomi- 
nations ;  Provided  that  no  other  minister  or  teacher  shall  have  first 
had  their  consent  to  have  made  an  appointment  there. 

Position  of  Saiu  Lot. 

Bounded  on  S  E.  by  lane  leading  to  John  Magoffin's  plantation ^ 
[Union  Ave.]  on  S  by  ground  of  Levi  Rex,  and  N.  W.  and  N.  E.  by 
ground  of  Abram  Heydrick.  In  width,  front  and  rear,  30  feet,  and 
depth  50  feet. 

Part  of  2^4  acres  33  perches  land." 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  83 

C 

These  extracts  from  the  records  of  the  church  are  given 

not  only  because  of  an 3^  quaintness  the}^  may  possess,  nor, 

indeed  because  of  their  historic  interest  in  this  connection ; 

but  because  they  give,  as  well,   a   reflection  of  affairs  in  the 

churches    in    general    in    the   times    in    which   they    were 

recorded : 

Pews  rented  October  17,    1835. 

Israel  Gilbert,  No.  29;  Ezra  Sands,  26;  Rachel  Jacoby,  32;  Titus 
Shermer,  C.  Strouse,  and  C.  Shuster,  25;  Sisters  Crosby  and  S.  Camp- 
bell,30;  Ifenry  S.  Lentz,  51;  Paterson  and  Grant,  31;  Louis  Bessin, 
33;  C.  Heins  and  Abner  Campbell,  22;  i  dollar  and  50  cents  paid  for 
a  seat  by  Mrs.  Mary  Holgate. 

September  19,    1835. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  each  member  pay  12%,  cents  per  year  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  communion  table. 

One  motion  resolved,  that  the  hymns  be  lined  for  the  singers. 

January  7,  1837. 
On  motion  resolved,  that  any  person  absenting  himself  from  this 
church  for  the  space  of  six  months,  and  living  in  the  bounds  of 
another  Baptist  church  without  having  taken  their  letter  from  this, 
(except  rendering  a  reasonable  excuse)  shall  be  liable  to  church 
censure. 

October,    1840. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  the  discipline  of  the  primitive  churches 
be  adopted. 

January,    1842. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  any  person  paying  annually  $r.oo  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  burying  their  dead  in  the  Baptist  grave  yard. 

July   9,    1842. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  any  member,  or  members,  blazing 
abroad  to  the  world  the  business  transactions  at  our  church,  or  special 
meetings  shall  be  under  church  censure. 


84  CHESTNUT  HILL 

January,    1843. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  a  fund  be  established  for  the  sick  poor; 
collection  to  be  taken  at  every  communion  season  for   said   purpose. 

July  8,  1843. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  we  take  up  quarterly  collections  for 
State  Convention  3rd  Sunday  in  January,  Foreign  and  Missionary  and 
Bible  Society,  3rd  Sunday  in  April,  Education  Society,  3rd  Sunday 
ill  July,  Widows'  Fund,  3rd  Sunday  in  September. 

October  26,    1843. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  the  deacons  be  authorized  to  prevent 
members  from  communing  who  have  transgressed  and  have  made  no 

confession. 

December  4,    1848. 

Church  was  granted  articles  of  incorporation. 

January  i,  1854. 

Moved  and  carried  that   the   penny  collections  be  taken  in  the 

gallery. 

February,  1855. 

On  motion  it  was  agreed  to  that  the  church  and  congregation  rise 
to  sing  the  closing  hymn  of  our  public  exercises. 

January  i,  1857. 

Resolved  that  we  have  religious  services  on  Monday,  January  5th, 
and  that  it  be  observed  as  a  day  of  humiliation,  fasting  and  prayer,  as 
recommended  by  the  Association. 

May  19,    1858. 

Agreeable  to  notice,  the  church  met  to  consider  the  propriety  of 
appointing  delegates  to  meet  the  delegation  to  be  held  in  the  North 
Baptist  Church  to  confer  with  them  regarding  the  formation  of  a  new 
association  of  churches. 

March    17,    1859. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  we  adopt  the  system  of  renting  pews, 
and  that  every  member  be  required  to  take  a  pew,  part  of  a  pew,  or  a 
sitting. 


BAPTIST  CHURCH  85 

January  2,   i860. 

Resolved  that  we  engage to  collect  the  pastor's  salary 

for  i860  at  a  commission  of  5  per  cent  or  less. 
(This  was  very  soon  discontinued.) 

May    18,    1868. 

Trustees  voted  to  exhibit  notice  prohibiting  persons  going  out 
during  services. 

June,    1897. 

The  concrete  pavement  at  the  front,  as  shown  in  the  picture  of 
the  present  house  of  worship,  was  constructed,  the  brick  sidewalk 
laid,  and  the  front  fence  changed  to  its  present  form,  at  this  time. 

D 

In  the  table  given  below,  the  yearly  increase  by  baptism, 
only,  is  given,  simply  because  increase  by  letter,  and  other- 
wise, as  well  as  losses  in  the  various  ways,  could  not,  except 
in  a  rather  small  portion  of  cases,  be  made  out.  But  the 
increase,  yearlj^  as  given,  can  be  relied  upon  as  being  very 
approximately  correct.  This  is  given  yearly  in  the  sta- 
tistical reports  in  the  Associational  minutes.  These  have, 
besides,  been  compared  with  other  records  with  such  care 
that  deviation  from  strict  accuracy,  if  there  be  such,  is  so 
slight  as  scarcely,  if  at  all,  to  affect  the  aggregate.  For  the 
yearly  membership  as  given  not  so  much  can  be  claimed  in 
the  way  of  accuracy.  These  figures  are  taken  with  but  few 
exceptions  from  the  statistical  reports  above  mentioned.  In 
one  case  at  least  there  is  manifestly  a  considerable  error, 
viz.,  1845.  The  additions,  other  than  by  baptism,  carefully 
recorded  in  the  church  book  which  amount  to  thirteen,  are 
not  sufficient  to  raise  the  number  from  that  reported  the 
year  previous  ;  but  not  regarding  it  wise  to  seek  to  correct 
these  totals,  unless  there  was  some  assurance  of  reaching 
the  correct  result,   it    has  been  thought  best  to  give  it  as 


86 


CHESTNUT  HILL 


recorded,  being,  most  likely,  a  typographical  error.  Such 
there  are,  without  doubt,  in  other  cases.  And  yet,  these 
data  may  be  depended  upon  for  being  very  largely  correct. 
In  other  cases  a  startling  falling  off  will  be  observed.  This 
is  easily  explained.  In  1854,  fifty-three  received  letters  of 
dismission  to  form  the  Cold  Point  Church.  In  other  cases 
there  has  been  a  large  reduction  by  reason  of  erasures  and 
exclusions — one  year  alone  forty-nine.  Total  number  of 
baptisms  in  sixty-three  years,  seven  hundred  and  one. 

Year. 

1834 
1835 
1836 

1837 
1838 

1839 
1840 

18^1 
1842 

1843 
1844 

1845 
1846 

1847 
1848 

1849 
1850 
1851 
1852 
1853 
1854 
1855 
1856 

1857 
1858 

1859 
i860 
1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1865 


Baptisms. 

Membership. 

Year. 

Baptisms. 

Membership 

18 

19 

1866 

26 

196 

13 

35 

1867 

26 

220 

6 

46 

1868 

5 

206 

20 

65 

1869 

3 

178 

19 

82 

1870 

9 

195 

14 

94 

1871 

5 

184 

II 

102 

1872 

I 

179 

13 

108 

1873 

9 

188 

43 

150 

1874 

16 

204 

53 

199 

1875 

9 

210 

II 

205 

1876 

10 

170 

21 

281 

1877 

3 

160 

19 

241 

1878 

3 

157 

9 

234 

1879 

0 

146 

21 

249 

1880 

0 

139 

13 

234 

1881 

I 

119 

I 

220 

1882 

10 

128 

T9 

220 

1883 

I 

127 

19 

223 

1S84 

0 

127 

8 

211 

1885 

5 

129 

56 

205 

1886 

5 

131 

4 

205 

1887 

I 

127 

36 

223 

1888 

I 

123 

13 

234 

1889 

0 

121 

10 

240 

1890 

3 

126 

I 

209 

189I 

3 

132 

2 

185 

1892 

9 

124 

6 

182 

1893 

I 

106 

24 

202 

1894 

I 

104 

2 

190 

189s 

10 

i'7 

7 

191 

1896 

I 

117 

2 

184 

1897 

10 

134 

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Miss  M.  A.  I.  Hart,  Treasurer,  Room  80^,  1420  Chestnut  vStreet,  Philadelphia. 

American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  —  A.  J.  Rowland,  D.  D.,  Secie- 
tarj' ;  Rev.  O.  F.  Flippo,  District  Secretary,  Rev,  R.  G  Seymour,  D  D.,  Bible  and 
Missionai-y  Secretar>%  1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia 

Pennsylvania  Baptist  State  Mission  Society.  —  Rev.  W.  H.  Conard, 
D.D.,  Secretary,  1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Pennsylvania  Bapust  Education  Society. — Rev  G.  M.  Spratt,  D.D., 
Corresponding  Secretarj-,  Rev.  l.eroy  vStephens,  D  D.,  General  Agent,  Room  818, 
1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia  Baptist  City  Mission. — Rev.  B.  MacMackin,  Superintend- 
ent, 1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Baptist  Young  People's  Union.  —  Rev  Joseph  A.  Bennett,  President,  1013 
South  51st  Street.  Philadelphia  ;  Dr.  Frank  Neher,  Secretary. 

The  American  B.^ptist  Historical  Society.  —  L,emuel  Moss,  D  D.,  Cor- 
responding Secretary-,  Room  414,  1420  Chestnut  Street.  Philadelphia. 

Grand  Ligne  Association  —Mrs.  J  G.  Walker,  649  North  Fortieth  Street, 
President  ;  Mi.ss  Josephine  King,  1237  Ellsworth  vStreet,  Treasurer. 

Baptist  Trai.ning  School  for  CHRisriAN  Work.— This  school  is  open  for 
young  women  over  twenty  years  of  age,  who  feel  that  thej-  are  called  of  God  to 
engage  in  Christian  work,  in  our  own  country  or  on  a  foreign  field.  Mrs.  J  N. 
Cushiug,  Preceptress,  762  South  Tenth  Street  ;  Mrs.  Emma  T.  Denithrone, 
Treasurer,  2045  Park  Avenue,  Philadelphia 

Nugent  Homi^:  for  Aged  Ministers — l,ocated  at  West  John.son  Street, 
Germantown.  Philadelphia 

Baptist  Home  — I^ocated  at  Seventeenth  and  Norris  streets,  Philadelphia. 
Mrs  Levi  Knowles,  President  of  Lady  Managers,  126  North  Eighteenth  Street; 
Mrs  Chas.  H  Banes,  Treasurer,  2021  Spring  Garden  Street ;  LeviL-  Rue,  Treasurer 
of  the  Trustees 

Baptist  Orphanage.— Located  at  Angora,   Philadelphia.     Mrs.  Benjamin 
Griffith,  President  Lady  Managers,  1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia  ;  Mrs.  H.  N 
Story,    Trea.surer,    1521    Poplar  Street;    Mr.    B    F.   Dennissou,    Treasurer  of  the 
Trustees,  1107  Market  Street,  Philadelphia 

German  Baptist  Home  for  the  Aged  in  Philadelphia. — Located  nu 
Second  Street  above  Church  Street,  Philadelphia.  David  Kaiser,  President,  1646 
Passyunk  Avenue ;  Mrs.  George  Knobloch,  President  of  Lady  Managers,  807 
Morris  Stieet ;  S.  Sessler,  Treasurer.  2615  North  Front  Street,  Philadelphia. 


